Comparison of Media Dynamics in a Stirred Mill Using Particle Tracking Techniques and DEM Simulations

ABSTRACT This article presents a comparative analysis of positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and magnetic particle tracking (MPT) experiments with coupled discrete element method (DEM) and smooth‐particle hydrodynamics (DEM–SPH) simulations in the context of a horizontal stirred mill. The study examines grinding media dynamics within the mill and validates experimental techniques against computational simulations. Volume fraction and velocity distributions from the PEPT and DEM–SPH simulations show similar trends, with MPT in partial agreement due to lower resolution. Although PEPT is advanced yet costly, MPT and DEM–SPH serve as complementary tools. This study highlights the effectiveness and applicability of various tracking and simulation methodologies in studying stirred media mill dynamics.