COMSOL Multiphysics
New Product
Granular Flow Module
The Granular Flow Module, new in version 6.4, offers a Granular Flow interface based on the discrete element method (DEM). DEM is a numerical technique that simulates granular flow by tracking individual particles (or grains) over time, resolving them as discrete entities with both translational and rotational degrees of freedom. Their dynamics are governed by Newton’s laws of motion, with forces arising from gravity, collisions with other grains, and interactions with enclosing boundaries.
In this framework, the grains may represent powders, pellets, rocks, seeds, tablets, or other bulk solids. The module supports a wide spectrum of physical interactions: elastic and viscoelastic contact forces, adhesion, rolling resistance, and even heat transfer between grains or between grains and walls. During a simulation, grains are treated as soft particles that deform elastically when in contact; at each time step, grain–grain and grain–wall collisions are detected, forces are computed via contact models, and the trajectories of the grains are updated accordingly to predict the collective motion of the system.
You have precise control over how grains are introduced: initial release conditions, velocity distributions, and spatial arrangements can be specified. You can also define how the grains interact with walls or leave the simulation domain. Additionally, the Granular Flow interface provides a built-in feature to model the motion of walls, permitting moving boundaries in the simulation.
Applications can be found within various industries, including food processing, pharmaceuticals, chemical industries, agriculture, cosmetics, and plastics. Several tutorial examples are provided to illustrate key uses such as grain packing, hopper flow, powder spreading, mixing of grains in a ribbon mixer and in a rotating drum, separation of grains in vibrating sieves, and transport of grains using a screw conveyor.