Simulation and Experimental Study on the Crushing of Cucumber Stalks Under Airflow Disturbance

This study investigates the optimization of crushing and screening efficiency in hammer mill systems through aerodynamic analysis. The research focuses on cucumber vine stalks characterized by high moisture content, elevated cellulose concentration, and pronounced mechanical toughness. Using key operating parameters that significantly influence the gas flow field as the starting point, single-phase gas flow field numerical simulations and characteristic simulations were conducted using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software Fluent. A two-way coupling method combining Fluent and the discrete element method (DEM) software EDEM was employed to perform gas–solid coupled numerical simulations and operational characteristic simulations of the pulverizer’s grinding and screening process. This revealed the influence patterns of gas flow disturbances on the grinding and screening process and the mechanism for performance enhancement. Finally, field testing was conducted. Based on experimental results, the optimized operating parameters were determined as follows: rotor speed of 2569 r/min, fan opening of 62.55%, and feed rate of 7.64 kg/min. Under these optimized conditions, the crushing productivity of cucumber vine stalks reached 337 kg/h, with an energy consumption of 5.59 kW·h/t. The deviation between the actual and theoretical values for productivity was less than 6%, while the deviation for energy consumption per ton was less than 3%. These findings provide a theoretical foundation and experimental basis for further research into the mechanism of external airflow disturbance in the crushing and screening process, aiming to enhance crushing efficiency and reduce energy consumption.