What’s New in EDEM 2021.2 – High Speed Solver, New Particle Shape, Enhanced Physics
Altair EmployeeIntroducing EDEM 2021.2 – High Speed Solver, New Shape, New Physics
EDEM 2021.2 offers even faster simulations, greater shape options, enhanced choice of physics and much more! It is available now and you can download from Altair One.
In this post, we will be sharing some of the highlights of this new release!
Enhanced Solver Performance
Computational performance in granular material simulation is everything – a fast solve means an increased number of what-if scenarios investigated, or a shorter product design cycle. Naturally, this needs to be combined with accuracy and at Altair we continue to lead the way in performance that you can trust, and EDEM 2021.2 takes things to the next level with a range of solver improvements.
Next-Level Performance with NVIDIA CUDA®-based Hybrid Solver
In EDEM 2021.2, we are pleased to introduce a new ‘Hybrid’ engine for all our NVIDIA CUDA®-based solvers.
Using a combination of single and double precision where necessary, this new approach to solving large-scale Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations provides a balance between fast solver speed and numerical accuracy.
What does this mean for our users? Simple – in our benchmarks across a variety of scenarios, simulations are up to 2.5 times faster compared to the current OpenCL-based solver. Our fast solve engines just got even quicker!
Benchmark results comparing speed relative to 12-core CPU for a range of applications. Greater number = faster solve time.
NVIDIA CUDA-based Solver for Multi-Sphere Particles
We are very pleased to announce that our Multi-Sphere solver has been updated to make use of the latest NVIDIA GPU technology.
Since launching our CUDA-based Polyhedral solver in the 2021 release, we have seen excellent performance reported by our users, as well as positive feedback on the improved environment for developing custom EDEM API models.
Our new CUDA-based engine for multi-sphere particles offers significant performance benefits across a variety of industry applications where multi-sphere continues to provide the best balance between solver speed and the influence of particle shape.
Transfer chute using multi-sphere particles. With the new Hybrid CUDA-based solver, we are seeing a speed improvement of nearly 6x vs the OpenCL-based solver.
New Particle Shape: Sphero-Cylinders
EDEM 2021.2 introduces a CUDA-based, Sphero-Cylinder particle shape solver that targets applications involving long, thin materials such as those found in agricultural applications (e.g., grass and straw), or fibrous materials found in the chemical, plastics, or home appliance industries. It also has applicability in Pharmaceutical and Plastics industries to model pills or pellets.
The use of sphero-cylinders brings two advantages: first, it means computationally efficient representation of long thin particle shapes that would otherwise require lots of spheres or facets to create the shape; and secondly, they eliminate the “raspberry effect” – where artificial ridges are present along a surface – when simulating using multi-sphere particles.
Sphero-Cylindrical particle shapes can be created with size distributions assigned to replicate real-world variation in materials, and the solver supports all of the contact models available on the CUDA-based Multi-Sphere solver. In addition, the Sphero-Cylinder solver can be used with the EDEM Coupling Interface for coupled simulations with CFD, MBD and custom scripts.
New Sphero-Cylinder particle shape allows for efficient representation of long, thin particle shapes and improved contact physics between particles.
Additional GPU Enhancements
Our CUDA-based solvers now support periodic boundaries for all particle types and allows users to simulate using fewer particles (under the right circumstances) leading to faster simulations and easier post-processing. In addition, Polyhedral and Sphero-Cylindrical particles can now be exported and imported between simulation decks – making it quick and easy to set up simulations using the same material shapes.
New Contact Models
Cohesion model for Polyhedral Particles
To enable broader use of our polyhedral contact model in a wider range of applications, we have added a new cohesive contact model to our list of experimental physics models that are available in EDEM for polyhedral shapes. Adding cohesion means you can reproduce the effects of moisture content, or the inclusion of binders, to your material. For polys this means the complex behaviors of handling wet materials, such as leaf/organic matter, wood chips, and more can now be reproduced.
The cohesion model is based on the principles of the JKR contact physics used with multi-sphere and sphero-cylindrical particles and is available for both particle-particle interaction and particle-geometry interactions.
Dry and cohesive wood chips in a screw auger. The cohesion model in 2021.2 enables a wider range of material behaviors to be captured with polyhedral shapes.
Rolling Friction Model 'Type C'
A new Type C rolling friction model has been added to EDEM. This model goes beyond the standard EDEM rolling friction model by including a non-viscous term in the damping torque equations. The use of this model may result in a more accurate behavior and greater stability; it is particularly well suited for powder applications in pharmaceutical, chemical, food manufacturing, and processing industries.
Expanded Analysis Capabilities
Export Equipment Parts and Particles from EDEM to STL
At Altair we understand that DEM is just part of the design process, which is why EDEM is the most interoperable of DEM codes on the market, working with a variety of other CAE solvers and tools. In EDEM 2021.2 we have further extended this by adding the ability to export particles and geometry from the EDEM Analyst to a STL file.
By having EDEM material available in a geometry format, it is possible for further analysis based on the structures that evolve during a simulation. For example – taking a bed of material and using it as a structure to assess gas flow in the steel manufacturing industry; or performing FE assessment of temperature change in volumes of granular material.
EDEM now brings accurate material structures to other CAE tools. Here, Altair’s nanoFluidX is used to understand complex fluid flow behaviors through compressed granular structures.
Running EDEMpy scripts from the Analyst
EDEMpy is a valuable capability to enable customized analysis of bulk material systems. In EDEM 2021.2, we have streamlined the workflow for using EDEMpy and provided the capability to run analysis scripts directly within the EDEM Analyst. Users can easily select a python script and any additional arguments required.
Customized analysis is now more accessible to EDEM users using the built-in EDEMpy interface.
Everything you need to set-up Python and the latest EDEMpy library (v0.1.5) is available during installation.
Advanced Multi-Physics
EDEM-AcuSolve DEM-CFD Coupling
The latest version of AcuSolve introduces new capabilities to further enhance the range of particle-fluid applications for the EDEM-AcuSolve coupling. This includes:
- New lift and torque models for non-spherical particles to provide improved accuracy when working with shaped material.
- Introduction of a scaling factor for drag laws that supports the use of scaled-up particle sizes in EDEM.
- Mass transfer at particle boundaries to enable the modelling of spray accumulation on particles, or evaporation of moisture content.
EDEM-AcuSolve accounts for effect of different particle shape and sizes in coupled particle-fluid simulations
EDEM-Fluent DEM-CFD Coupling
The EDEM-Fluent coupling now supports combustion modelling. This addition to the coupling means EDEM can now provide additional insight to simulations that use Fluent’s combustion model, by adding accurate particle dynamics into the mix.
During combustion material can shrink and swell, and these are now captured in the EDEM-Fluent coupling where changes in particle volume take place based on the combustion-related data provided by Fluent.
EDEM’s longstanding coupling with Fluent is breaking new ground with the addition of advanced combustion modelling capabilities
The EDEM-Fluent combustion capability will be available to download soon from Altair Community’s Knowledge Base.
Activate-EDEM-MotionSolve Coupling
MotionSolve coupled with EDEM can now be connected quickly and easily into Activate using a new connector. Users can take advantage of advanced motion controls with easier access and more effective usage of EDEM-MotionSolve for advanced multi-physics applications in agriculture, construction, mining and off-road mobility.
EDEM and PM-FlexTire™
The PM-FlexTire™ module now uses a separate license server which allows the user more control and efficiency in the use of Altair units. This is a significant step forward for the FlexTire solution available from the Altair Partner Alliance, as it offers users greater flexibility over licensing to achieve more efficient usage of EDEM.
EDEM 2021.2 is available now for download from Altair One.