Development of a Non-Spherical Polymeric Particles Calibration Procedure for Numerical Simulations Based on the...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Computational Mechanics

Background:

• The plastic industry requires optimized manufacturing processes for new materials.
• Numerical methods, particularly the Discrete Elements Method (DEM), are crucial for simulating particulate materials.
• Calibration of DEM parameters is essential but computationally expensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a general, cost-effective calibration method for Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) particles.
• To accurately determine material properties and particle interaction parameters for DEM simulations.
• To integrate speed-up procedures for efficient calibration.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Discrete Elements Method (DEM) for particulate material simulation.
• Integrated speed-up procedures to reduce computational cost.
• Employed genetic algorithms for parameter calibration based on experimental data.
• Conducted four experimental tests and corresponding simulations.

Main Results:

• Calibrated solid density, Poisson's ratio, friction factors (static, rolling, restitution), and contact model variables (damping, stiffness, energy density).
• Achieved a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) below 2% between simulated and experimental results.
• Successfully calibrated input parameters after 85 iterations.

Conclusions:

• The developed calibration method is effective for LDPE particles, significantly reducing computational and experimental costs.
• Accurate calibration of DEM parameters is vital for reliable simulation of plastic manufacturing processes.
• The study demonstrates the potential of integrating numerical methods with optimization algorithms for material process optimization.