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Volume 117
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A DEM study on granular flow in twin-blade vertical kneader
Yingyi Chen a, Yang Yang a b, Meiqi Wu a c, Mukhtiar Ahmed a, Jinhui Zhan a, Xiaoxing Liu a b *
a State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Process Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
b School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
c School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, 300350, Tianjin, China
10.1016/j.partic.2026.07.009
Volume 117, October 2026, Pages 303-314
Received 13 May 2026, Revised 2 July 2026, Accepted 16 July 2026, Available online 23 July 2026, Version of Record 7 August 2026.
E-mail: xxliu@ipe.ac.cn
Highlights

• The kneader produces two kneading events per cycle, with higher stress during the second one.

• Stress at all marked positions exhibits clear periodicity due to the periodic rotation of blades.

• Normalized blade stress increases with depth due to stronger lateral confinement below and higher background pressure.

• Force chains across two blades and to the wall induce force concentration in mixing.


Abstract

Particle mixing is essential for ensuring product quality across many industries, and for energetic materials where stress concentrations can lead to unexpected explosion, it is directly linked to operational safety. Understanding mixing dynamics and stress evolution at the particle scale is therefore crucial for the safe operation of mixing equipment. In this study, the granular flow and stress evolution within a twin-blade vertical kneader were investigated using Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations. The effects of blade rotational velocity and clearances on stress distribution were systematically examined. The results show that distinct stress concentrations were observed in the region between the two blades and near the wall, particularly during the kneading stages, characterized by the formation of strong force-chain networks. These stress concentrations were primarily attributed to velocity discrepancies between the blades, with stresses increasing linearly with rotational velocity. Additionally, smaller clearances were found to generate extremely high instantaneous stresses, posing potential safety risks. Overall, this work provides new insights into the mixing mechanisms and stress concentration phenomena in vertical twin-blade kneaders, offering valuable guidance for the design, optimization, and safe operation of particle mixing processes.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Discrete element method; Twin-blade kneader; Granular flow; Stress concentration; Force chain; Energetic materials
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