Numerical simulation of food particle mixing effect in three-dimensional motion mixer

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different active shaft speeds and barrel shapes on the mixing performance of food particles in a three-dimensional motion mixer.MethodsSimplified modeling of the three-dimensional motion mixer was performed using 3D software. Simulation and analysis were conducted for different speeds and barrel shapes through the ADAMS-EDEM coupling method.ResultsIncreasing the speed could significantly improve the mixing effect and efficiency. However, when the speed was relatively high, further increasing the speed did not significantly enhance the mixing effect. Among various barrel shapes, the square barrel showed relatively better mixing performance, while the elliptical barrel showed relatively poorer performance. Additionally, when the dispersion coefficient was less than or equal to 0.2, the mixing efficiency at 12 r/min was improved by 33% and 66% compared to 8 r/min and 10 r/min, respectively. The mixing efficiency of the square barrel was 100% higher than that of the elliptical barrel.ConclusionSimulation methods can effectively analyze the mixing conditions of food particles in a three-dimensional motion mixer.