DEM simulation of size segregation of binary mixtures of cohesive particles under a horizontal swirling vibration

The size segregation of spherical and cubical particles under a horizontal swirling vibration is studied in this work using DEM. The extent of segregation is characterised by the volume concentration of particles and its dependencies on various operational and material parameters are systematically explored. It is found that an almost perfect segregation state can be achieved by using a high vibration frequency and a small vibration amplitude in the studied process. At low cohesion, the segregation of both spherical and cubic particles is not much influenced by the cohesion, although the spheres segregate slightly faster than the cubic particles at early stages. Compared with spherical particles, the segregation of cubic particles is less affected by cohesion. These observations demonstrate the robust performance of the segregation device under horizontal swirling vibration and provide useful knowledge for better design and control of the segregation processes. [Display omitted] •The size segregation process under a horizontal swirling vibration was simulated.•A hill-shaped segregation mode of wet particle systems was observed and analysed.•The effect of vibration parameters on the segregation process was investigated.•The effects of cohesion force on segregation speed and pattern were examined.