Modelling the mechanical behaviour of sodium borohydride before, during and after time consolidation using DEM

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Abstract

Currently, one of the biggest challenges humanity faces is climate change. Reduction of fossil fuels is demanded in the future, hence an energy transition is required. A promising potential alternative fuel is the energy carrier NaBH4 which contains hydrogen (H2). Handling and storing NaBH4 provides challenges and the bulk behaviour of NaBH4 is not well-known. NaBH4 is potentially affected by time consolidation when storing the material inside a silo and to capture the effect on NaBH4 a method to model time consolidation using the Discrete Element Method is proposed. To calibrate the simulation model, data is required and to gather data, time consolidation experiments were performed using Schulze's Ring Shear Tester. The shear stress was determined for different consolidation times. Next, the simulation model's two most influential parameters (static friction and surface energy) were selected to calibrate and verify the contact model based on the experimental data.  The found relationship of the two parameters over time can be used to instantly create a time-consolidated particle bed after a certain consolidation time, reducing the computational time required to analyse the material behaviour after longer storage periods.  

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