Solution Showcase

Agitated-filter Drying

This simulation shows a wet-cake undergoing agitation and evaporation in a lab-scale agitated filter dryer where the filter chamber is heated. The powder's cohesivity changes dynamically with the residual solvent content, affecting the rheology of the wet-cake.

Scrap Metal Melting in a Steel Converter

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling enable the precise simulation of scrap melting and thermal dynamics in steel converters. Featuring a comprehensive physics library, the software accurately reproduces phase-change kinetics, heat transfer, and the resulting fluid-particle interactions. Because the accuracy of these metallurgical insights depends on reliable input data, DCS Computing provides specialized tools for the calibration of complex material properties, ensuring simulations reflect real-world furnace conditions with high fidelity.

Optimizing Durability: Wear Prediction for High-Performance Plowing

Aspherix ® allows the simulation of soil plowing and equipment wear. Aspherix(R) features a large model library that allows to reproduce the complex soil rheology, as well as the wearing. The selection of model parameters plays a paramount role as well, therefore DCS Computing developed Aspherix® Calibration, a module designed for the calibration of DEM model parameters.  

Tablet Press Feeding Segregation

Simulation of commercial scale tablet press feed system with a coupled CFD-DEM model.

Coarse-graining of spray drying simulations

This video shows how CFD-DEM simulations of spray drying processes are insensitive to the coarse-graining level of the spray droplets. This allows to simulate industrial-scale problems by keeping the particle's count, and therefore the computational cost, at a manageable level without sacrificing accuracy.

Mower Deck Optimization

The goal of this case study with Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling was the optimization of a mower deck with respect to ths cut quality. Since the design contains blades with intersection trajectories it was not possible to use sliding meshes. An immersed boundary approach, especially designed for mower deck applications was used. The simulation results matched experimental data and it was possible to compare different geometry setups and boundary conditions and optimize them.

Modelling of Hot Melting Extrusion

Twin-screw extruders (TSEs) are widely used for processing polymers, chemicals and foodstuff. Development of a 1D-3D model for polymer extrusion in TSE (collaboration with Novartis*). The 3D part consists of DEM simulations of representative volume elements (RVEs). The 1D part is a low-order model bridging the solution between the RVEs *https://www.aiche.org/academy/conferences/aiche-annual-meeting/2022/proceeding/paper/45f-3d-1d-modelling-twin-screw-extruders

Nasal Airways

The animation shows the flow of 5 micron sized evaporating droplets flowing through the nasal airways during a respiration cycle using Aspherix® DEM software. The air flow information is pre-calculated using CFD and the transient flow field is imported to Aspherix®.

Simulation of Fluidized Bed Granulation

This video shows a full-coupled CFD-DEM simulation of a fluidized bed granulation process. A liquid-solid mixture is sprayed into the granulator (see droplets in magenta) from a nozzle. The liquid and solid species are deposited onto the carrier particles and, partially, onto the granulator walls. The product quality (between 0 to 1) measures the coating/granulation level of the carrier particles. Finally, the temperature field changes dynamically due to the heating from the fluidization air and the cooling due to the liquid evaporation.

Rotary Cooler

This video shows a model of a rotary cooler, realized with CFDEM®coupling. A hot particle stream enters through a transfer chute into the slightly inclined and rotating cooler. 

Blast Furnace Digital Twin

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of the complex internal dynamics of a blast furnace, from layer-by-layer material charging to the intense fluid-particle interactions at the tuyeres. By utilizing advanced non-sphericity treatments—including calibrated rolling friction models and laser-scan-derived multisphere particles—engineers can precisely predict the particle flow profile and permeability of the burden. This integrated workflow provides a predictive digital twin, enabling R&D managers to optimize the charging cycle and hot blast distribution, ultimately improving thermal efficiency and reducing fuel consumption in hot metal production.

Single Screw Extruder

An extruder is transporting and melting polypropylene granules (particles: white spheres, molten plastic: purple iso-surfaces). The interplay between solid, air and liquid is obtained by coupling Aspherix with cfdemSolverInterDyMPC. The melting is reproduced by a mass transfer from solid to liquid, which occurs when the particle temperature exceeds the melting point due to external heating.

Dam Failure

With rising water levels dams may fail. This conceptual study shows that the change of the water level impacts on the stability of the dam. While for the lower water level the dam remains stable, instabilities show when it is higher.

High-Performance Helical Mixer Optimization and Blending Evaluation

Aspherix® allows for the high-fidelity simulation of industrial-scale bulk solids mixing within complex geometries like helical mixers. By leveraging advanced GPU acceleration, the software can effortlessly track the individual dynamics and multi-body contacts of over one million multi-sized particles simultaneously. This predictive digital twin enables engineers to precisely evaluate critical parameters such as blend homogeneity, segregation risks, and particle transport rates under varying operational speeds. The resulting integrated workflow gives R&D managers the exact insights needed to optimize mixer blade design, minimize cycle times, and drastically reduce the energy consumption of large-scale blending operations.  

Argon Injection in Continuous Casting

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of complex fluid-particle interactions within the continuous casting mold. By integrating advanced solvers for steel flow and argon bubble dynamics, engineers can accurately model the behavior of inclusions under the influence of electromagnetic fields and turbulent flow. This integrated workflow enables the precise prediction of bubble entrapment and non-metallic inclusion distribution, providing a predictive digital twin that allows R&D managers to optimize nozzle designs and significantly reduce surface defects in the final product.

The setup is inspired by Wang et all. 2024 (Entrapment behavior of argon bubbles and non-metallic inclusions under combined magnetic fields in slab continuous casting).

Blast Furnace Thermal & Mass Transfer Optimization

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the detailed simulation of heat and mass transfer within a blast furnace environment. The software's ability to handle convex-shaped particles ensures a realistic representation of ore and coke behavior as they descend through the furnace. As particles are exposed to high-temperature gas sources, Aspherix® captures the transition from solid to liquid, modeling the accumulation of molten mass in the hearth. This integrated approach provides critical insights into the internal state of the furnace, helping engineers optimize fuel consumption and improve the stability of the melting process.

Modeling Wear in a Ball Mill

The simulation shows a ball mill's section where a mix of steel balls (grey spherical particles) and rocks (brown non-spherical particles) is processed. The wear of the internal surface (plates and lifters) is calculated based on the Finnie's model and the eroded volume is used to dynamically deform the geometry.

VoF Simulation with Convex Particles and Immersed Boundary

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the advanced simulation of complex multi-phase fluid flows through granular media. By leveraging an integrated Volume-of-Fluid (VoF) method combined with immersed boundary techniques, the software precisely captures the dynamic interactions between liquids, gases, and highly realistic convex particles. This high-fidelity digital twin setup enables engineers to track fluid advancement and identify localized phenomena, such as trapped air pockets, within porous structures. Ultimately, this predictive workflow empowers R&D managers to optimize liquid distribution systems, improve process reliability, and mitigate costly phase-separation inefficiencies.

Debris Flow at Weir

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of dynamic debris flow and structural clogging at hydraulic control barriers. By utilizing the advanced multisphere method in Aspherix® to accurately represent various complex geometries of floating log wood, the digital twin framework captures realistic structural entanglement. On the fluid side, an integrated Volume-of-Fluid (VoF) solver in CFDEM®coupling models the underlying transient water flow, creating a fully coupled hydro-mechanical feedback loop. Ultimately, this predictive workflow delivers critical insight into blockage thresholds, enabling principal engineers to optimize weir design geometries, mitigate flooding risks, and safeguard downstream infrastructure reliability.

Sediment Erosion Around a Bridge

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of large-scale sediment erosion and scour formation around critical infrastructure. By utilizing an integrated Volume-of-Fluid (VoF) solver paired with advanced drag correlations, the software accurately captures the complex coupling between turbulent two-phase river flows and millions of multi-sized discrete sediment parcels. This high-performance digital twin environment allows engineers to safely model real-scale hydrodynamics and collective particle behaviors under varying seasonal flow conditions. Ultimately, this predictive workflow delivers actionable insights into structural risk, enabling asset managers to optimize preventative maintenance and guarantee long-term operational reliability.

Coastal Erosion

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of complex sediment transport and wave-induced erosion processes. By precisely modeling fluid-particle interactions and multi-phase hydrodynamics, our solution tracks exact particle displacement and beach morphology changes under dynamic wave loads. This integrated workflow captures critical physical behaviors like sub-surface movement and localized structural wear without relying on empirical guesswork. Ultimately, this predictive digital twin empowers principal engineers to design resilient coastal infrastructure, mitigate environmental impact, and significantly reduce long-term maintenance costs.

River Bed Erosion

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of dynamic riverbed erosion and sediment transport. By integrating a coupled Volume-of-Fluid (VoF) and Discrete Element Method (DEM) approach, the software precisely captures the transient hydrodynamic forces acting on individual sediment particles. This predictive digital twin workflow enables engineers to model multi-phase fluid-particle interactions and track changing bed morphology under varied flow rates without relying on simplified empirical models. Ultimately, this advanced simulation framework empowers principal engineers to safeguard hydraulic infrastructure, design resilient river management strategies, and minimize environmental impact.

Green Steel Innovation via Hydrogen-Based Iron Ore Reduction

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of multi-phase thermochemical processes, seamlessly integrating fluid dynamics, particle motion, and chemical kinetics. By capturing the intricate interplay of gas-phase hydrogen fluidization, heat transfer, and heterogenous chemical reactions, the software creates a predictive digital twin of the reduction furnace. This integrated workflow enables engineers to precisely evaluate the initial stages of hematite reduction, optimize gas consumption, and minimize trial-and-error prototyping, ultimately accelerating the scale-up of sustainable steelmaking technologies.

Paste Extrusion with a Single Screw Extruder

Simulation of paste extrusion where the Edinburgh model is used to model cohesion.

Calendaring of Li-ion Electrode

The active material is represented by the large dark particles, while the additive material as small bright ones. The presence of a binder material is modeled by the formation of bonds between active and additive materials. The height of the layer after calendaring is around 30% lower than the initial one due to bond formation.

Lunar Regolith Handling and Transport Systems

Aspherix® allows for the high-fidelity simulation of complex granular transport mechanisms operating under extreme environmental conditions, such as the low-gravity environment of the Moon. By precisely capturing the non-spherical particle shapes of lunar regolith and simulating the complex "stick-slip" phenomenon, the software serves as a predictive digital twin to evaluate static friction counteraction and upward material flow. This integrated workflow enables R&D managers and aerospace engineers to optimize the mechanical reliability of transport systems like the Vertical Lunar Regolith Conveyor (VLRC), significantly reducing physical prototyping costs and ensuring mission success for extraterrestrial infrastructure development.

Melting in Liquid Steel and Slag Crucible

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of melting processes in multi-phase environments, such as HBI ingots within a liquid steel and slag crucible. By leveraging advanced heat transfer models and density-driven buoyancy, the software accurately predicts how solid particles interact at the slag-liquid interface while subjected to magnetic field-induced stirring. This digital twin approach tracks the mass evolution of particles as they phase-change into the liquid melt, providing predictive insights into thermal efficiency. This enables R&D managers to optimize melting cycles, refine energy consumption, and ensure superior chemical homogeneity in metallurgical vessels.

Battery Heating

Design of future battery materials is a big challenge! Battery performance crucially depends on packing properties. We are modelling the paste as particles in an electric potential. The material experiences heating due to the electric current.

Bucket Wheel Simulation

Simulation of a bucket wheel apparatus that is fed a continuous stream of a slightly cohesive polydisperse particle mixture. The bucket wheen deposits the particles onto a sloped conveyer belt via a funnel mechanism.

High-Performance Optimization of Pharmaceutical Fluidization

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of fine pharmaceutical powders within large-scale fluidized bed reactors. Leveraging advanced GPU-acceleration and sophisticated particle coarse-graining techniques, the software serves as a high-speed digital twin capable of tracking hundreds of thousands of fine particles and complex fluid-particle interactions simultaneously. This predictive, integrated workflow enables R&D managers to precisely analyze powder distribution and flow behavior without compromising computational efficiency. Ultimately, these insights allow engineering teams to optimize process stability, reduce cycle times, and ensure consistent product quality in demanding production environments.

Dragline Excavator

Simulation of the dragline bucket of a Liebherr HS8100.2 crawler crane excavating gravel. The bucket and the spreader bar are modeled as 6-degrees-of-freedom (6-dof) geometries, while the chains and ropes are modeled as bonded spherical particles. The motion of the assembly is controlled by translating the hoist coupler and to the drag coupler. The drag rope can slide on the pulley of the hoist coupler and therefore control the tilting of the bucket.

CAD geometry of the bucket from “1/14 scale dragline bucket for liebherr hs 855 or 8100” by raoul00123 on cults3d.com - Licensed under CC BY.

Simulation of a Full-Scale Rotary Kiln

This video shows a DEM simulation of a rotary kiln processing a bulk material. The mixing efficiency and the residence time distribution are two important KPIs that can be predicted with accuracy using DEM.

Precision Modeling of Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) Performance

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the high-fidelity simulation of complex aerosolization and particle detachment processes within dry powder inhalers. By utilizing fully coupled fluid-particle and particle-particle interactions (four-way coupling) executed efficiently on the GPU, the software functions as a predictive digital twin capable of managing massive scales, such as one million particles within a one million cell CFD mesh. This integrated workflow enables engineers to precisely analyze how airflow shear forces release the API from coated particles, providing the critical optimization insights needed to maximize lung deposition, enhance dosing consistency, and accelerate regulatory approval cycles.

High-Fidelity Separation Optimization for Modern Harvesting Systems

Aspherix® and CFDEM®coupling allow for the advanced multi-phase simulation of complex crop separation and sieving processes. By utilizing the cutting-edge Immersed Boundary (IB) technique, engineers can seamlessly integrate arbitrary, high-frequency geometric motions—such as the complex wiggling of a harvester's chaffer—directly into the fluid-particle flow. Powered entirely by GPU acceleration, this digital twin accurately tracks the interaction of nearly a million particles alongside dynamic fluid meshes to model realistic segregation and sieving behavior. This integrated workflow delivers a high-fidelity predictive tool, enabling R&D managers to maximize grain throughput, minimize crop loss, and accelerate the development of next-generation agricultural equipment.