{"title":"Granulation of fine powders in a ploughshare mixer: experimcental studies and population balance modeling","authors":"Swati Sahu, Aswin Vinod Muthachikavil, Vishnu Swaroopji Masampally, Nilotpal Goswami, Venkata Sudheendra Buddhiraju, Venkataramana Runkana","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105182","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105182","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Optimization of wet granulation of particles in a mixer-type equipment like ploughshare mixer is challenging due to complex interactions between particle dynamics, liquid distribution and operating conditions. This work presents a comprehensive experimental and modeling study to elucidate these interactions and enable predictive control. Systematic experiments were conducted to access the influence of impeller speed, chopper speed, liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio, binder concentration and feed loading on granule formation through ploughshare mixer. Granules exhibited a bimodal size distribution in nearly all experimental conditions. Binder concentration and L/S ratio were identified as key tuning parameters governing granulation behavior. A population balance model (PBM) incorporating both aggregation and breakage kinetics was developed, featuring a step-function aggregation kernel that effectively captures the bimodal size distribution. The PBM was calibrated using experimental data and quantitative correlations were established between PBM model parameters and tuning variables (L/S ratio and binder concentration). These correlations provide a predictive framework for process optimization and advanced control of mixer-based wet granulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105182"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146187066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Computational fluid dynamic simulation of combustion process of pulverized coal char considering heterogeneous regimes","authors":"Sameer Alshehri , Saeed Shirazian","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105193","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105193","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The combustion of coal char particles in the heterogeneous regime was modelled. The particles were randomly distributed within a three-dimensional control volume, enabling the investigation of the complex dynamics of flame propagation in a heterogeneous medium. The model uses a MATLAB code to solve the energy equation for each particle via a Lagrangian CFD approach, allowing precise simulation of flame propagation, including the flame front’s shape and position. This approach provides insight into the complex physics of particle-laden mixture combustion. To highlight the impact of random particle distribution, the results are compared with those for uniform and decremental distributions. Additionally, the effects of particle size, average coal char concentration, and oxygen mole fraction on the average flame front speed are analyzed. In general, increasing the coal concentration raises the flame front speed, while decreasing particle size or increasing oxygen mole fraction enhances the time-averaged flame propagation velocity. For instance, for char powders with a particle diameter of 10 μm, increasing the average concentration from 0.1 to 1.2 kg/m<sup>3</sup> results in a 95% increase in the time-averaged flame front speed, whereas for dust clouds with a particle diameter of 100 μm, the increase is approximately 70%.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105193"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146187065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"H2 and corn stalk dust hybrid explosion overpressure and molecular dynamics of reaction analysis","authors":"Yansong Zhang , Jiang Qin , Yanjie Niu , Yuxiong Huang , Runzhi Li , Xinyan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105209","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105209","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During biomass hydrogen production, H<sub>2</sub> and corn stalk dust hybrid explosion threatens process safety. To reveal the overpressure characteristics and molecular dynamics of reaction during H<sub>2</sub>-corn stalk hybrid explosion, 20 L explosion experiments and ReaxFF-MD simulations are conducted. Results indicate that as the H<sub>2</sub> volume fraction increases from 0 to 20%, the reaction activation energy decreases, the <em>P</em><sub>max</sub> and (d<em>P</em>/d<em>t</em>)<sub>max</sub> increase, and the optimal explosion concentration of corn stalk dust is reduced significantly. When H<sub>2</sub> volume fraction exceeds 10%, the dominated explosion mode is shifted from corn stalk combustion induced to H<sub>2</sub> combustion induced, which can exacerbate the explosion hazard (with the <em>K</em><sub>st</sub> exceeding 30 MPa·m/s, St3 level). H<sub>2</sub> exhibits a dual promotion mechanism during hybrid explosion. Firstly, the oxidative heat release of H<sub>2</sub> provides extra energy for the pyrolysis of corn stalk. Secondly, the reaction between H<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>2</sub> generates free radicals such as ·H and ·OH, which alter the reaction pathway of corn stalk and accelerate its pyrolysis into small-molecule gases. This increases the concentration of combustible gases and enhances the intensity of the explosion reaction. The revealed H<sub>2</sub>-corn stalk hybrid explosion mechanism can provide theoretical support for the explosion accidents prevention and mitigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105209"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147403052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
He Linfeng, Liao Juan, Liu Xiaoqi, Liu Yuran, Wu Jun, Chen Tao, Jiang Qi
{"title":"Preparation of FeS2/CNT/S composite and application as the cathode material of lithium-sulfur batteries","authors":"He Linfeng, Liao Juan, Liu Xiaoqi, Liu Yuran, Wu Jun, Chen Tao, Jiang Qi","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105210","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metal sulfide pyrite (FeS<sub>2</sub>) has received much attention in energy storage because of its structural diversity, abundant resources, and low cost. However, the volume expansion and poor electrical conductivity during the cycle are the main reasons for the low specific capacity. Therefore, in this study, carbon nanotubes (CNT) are introduced into FeS<sub>2</sub> by the organic solvothermal method to prepare FeS<sub>2</sub>/CNT composite as the S carrier material. The FeS<sub>2</sub> nanoparticle ball serves as a “connecting unit” that forms a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected conductive network structure by connecting with CNT. Adding CNT can effectively change the problem of insufficient conductivity of FeS<sub>2</sub> to sulfur electrode, providing a large specific surface area and abundant reaction sites, which promotes the electrode reaction transformation. In addition, the porous structure of the FeS<sub>2</sub>/CNT composite ensures the electrode’s structural integrity during the reaction process and effectively avoids volume expansion. As a result, the discharge specific capacity of FeS<sub>2</sub>/CNT/S reaches 1352.4 mAh·g<sup>−1</sup> at 0.1C. And after 200 cycles at 0.5C, the capacity retention is 75.9%, and the capacity decay rate is only 0.12% per cycle. This work provides a new way to develop highly efficient cathode composites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105210"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147403167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jintao Li , Min Chen , Kang Peng , Xizhang Chen , Junjie Xie , Delin Peng , Fengtao Sun , Fuhao Yao
{"title":"Microstructure and mechanical properties of WC-CoCrFeNiMoX-based cemented carbide with bimodal WC grain size distribution","authors":"Jintao Li , Min Chen , Kang Peng , Xizhang Chen , Junjie Xie , Delin Peng , Fengtao Sun , Fuhao Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study systematically investigates the influence of molybdenum (Mo) content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of WC-CoCrFeNiMo<em><sub>X</sub></em> high-entropy alloy (HEA)-bonded cemented carbides. Samples were prepared by wet-milling WC powders of varying particle sizes with CoCrFeNiMo<em><sub>X</sub></em> (X = 0.1, 0.5, 1.0) binders, followed by sintering at 1460°C under multi-atmosphere conditions. The effects of Mo content on phase composition, grain morphology, hardness, and fracture behavior were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mechanical property tests. Results indicate that Mo addition significantly refines WC grains and promotes their spheroidization, achieving a Vickers hardness of 1663.7 HV<sub>30</sub>, an attribute that reflects superior performance compared to traditional Co-bonded WC materials. However, increasing Mo content exacerbates binder phase embrittlement and carbon deficiency, resulting in a reduction in transverse rupture strength (TRS) as Mo content increases. Fractographic analysis reveals that low-Mo samples exhibit a mixed intergranular-cleavage fracture mode, whereas high-Mo samples predominantly undergo intergranular fracture. Within the studied system, Coarse WC grains enhance toughness by impeding crack propagation. This work highlights the potential of HEA binders for balancing hardness and toughness in cemented carbides, and proposes that optimizing Mo content and suppressing carbon loss are critical strategies for improving comprehensive performance. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the development of high-performance wear-resistant materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105205"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147403168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of PVA saponification degree on internal structural changes in silica slurry during drying","authors":"Hiromasa Kuroda , Junichi Tatami , Motoyuki Iijima , Takuma Takahashi","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105189","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105189","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined the effect of adding polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with varying degrees of saponification to an aqueous silica slurry on internal structural changes during drying using optical coherence tomography. During the initial stage of drying, the slurries began to agglomerate from the surface. Particle concentration in the agglomerated regions increased with higher saponification degrees of the added PVA. Considering the solubility of PVA and the hydrophilicity of the adsorption layer on the particles, the effect of saponification degree on the particle concentration in the agglomerated regions is attributed to variations in the electrophoretic mobility distribution and the thickness of the PVA adsorption layer on the particles. In the middle stage of drying, the magnitude of deformation in the agglomerated regions varied depending on the particle concentration and the thickness of the PVA adsorption layer. The dominant factors controlling the green density of the dried slurry were both the particle concentration in the agglomerated regions during the initial stage and the magnitude of deformation in these regions during the middle stage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105189"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147403169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of orifice positions on velocity fluctuations during granular discharge from a Quasi-2D rectangular silo","authors":"Gaurav Kumar Mishra , Ritwik Maiti , Soumen Mandal , Apurba Kumar Roy","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how orifice position affects velocity fluctuations during gravity-driven discharge from a quasi-2D rectangular silo, combining experiments with Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations. Experiments used a single 10 × 10 mm<sup>2</sup> orifice and spherical glass beads (<em>d</em> = 0.9 ± 0.1 mm); high-speed imaging and Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) measured front-wall velocity fields for three orifice placements (concentric, mid-eccentric, extreme eccentric). Experimental results show that orifice eccentricity strongly modifies mean flow and fluctuation patterns: extreme eccentric openings produce the largest fluctuations and an asymmetric velocity field adjacent to the sidewall. DEM simulations (front-layer extraction to match DPIV) were first used to validate the experiments, DEM captures average velocities (<em>u<sub>avg</sub></em> and <em>v<sub>avg</sub></em>) and spatial trends (DEM overpredicts <em>v<sub>avg</sub></em> by ≈10% at mid-eccentricity and mass flow by ≈2%), and then to explore parametric effects not varied experimentally. Parametric DEM runs indicate that increasing orifice width and particle diameter generally raise both average discharge velocity and fluctuation magnitudes. Statistical characterization of fluctuations reveals near-Gaussian cores with fat tails close to the outlet. The results show that eccentricity, orifice size, and grain size collectively regulate wall slip, shear localization, and velocity variability, with direct implications for silo design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105212"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147403053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bo Hu , Jian-Yi Chen , Li-Xin Yang , Xiao-Jian Wu , Yao-Dong Wei
{"title":"Experimental study on fine particle transport and deposition processes in the swirling flow of a cyclone separator","authors":"Bo Hu , Jian-Yi Chen , Li-Xin Yang , Xiao-Jian Wu , Yao-Dong Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105213","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105213","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cyclone separators are important for industrial dust removal, but fine particle deposition on their inner walls reduces separation efficiency and even causes blockage. To clarify the mechanisms of fine particle transport and deposition in cyclone separators, experiments were conducted using a 100 mm-diameter transparent cyclone separator and spherical silica particles (0.98–4.54 µm), under inlet gas velocities of 5–30 m/s and particle concentrations of 1–100 g/m<sup>3</sup>. Four typical deposition patterns were confirmed: unstable adhesion pattern (UAP), thick adhesion pattern (TAP), spiral adhesion pattern (SAP), and non-adhesion pattern (NAP), which transition sequentially with increasing inlet gas velocity. Due to the dominant effect of centrifugal force, the dimensionless deposition velocity of particles in swirling flow was found to be 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than that in straight flow, and a quantitative correlation with the dimensionless relaxation time was established. A critical inlet gas velocity <em>U</em><sub>cr</sub> required to remove adhered particles was identified. Furthermore, a particle motion regime map was proposed to demarcate the boundaries of escape, deposition, and collection regions. The results provide valuable insights into the particle deposition mechanisms in swirling flow and offer theoretical support for mitigating particle deposition in cyclone separators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105213"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147403054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Modeling liquid bridge by the Young–Laplace equation: the role of energy","authors":"Leina Hua , Shuai Zhang , Wei Ge","doi":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105203","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apt.2026.105203","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Young–Laplace equation has been used widely to model the geometry and capillary force of a static bridge, which is solved frequently by toroidal approximation analytically, or integral and shooting methods numerically. In this work, the three methods were compared in terms of bridge shape profile, capillary force and rupture distance during the compression and elongation of a liquid bridge connecting two identical plates in various conditions of contact angle hysteresis. Results show different characteristics especially near bridge rupture: toroidal approximation has one solution branch, integral method predicts a saddle-node bifurcation with two solution branches, and shooting method tends to obtain more branches. The methods of bridge rupture distance calculation based on saddle-node bifurcation analysis, liquid–vapor area analysis, and energy analysis were also discussed. Minimization of system total interfacial energy considering a constant liquid volume as a constraint can stand as the unique criterion to determine the stable bridge configuration before bridge breakup and the bridge rupture distance. The validity of energy minimization was assessed by comparing the capillary force-separation distance curve between model predictions and measurements in the literature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7232,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Powder Technology","volume":"37 3","pages":"Article 105203"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146187034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}