Can I model and simulate dust?

Dust is an important consideration when it comes to transfer chute design. Unfortunately, dust and air flow behave in a way that DEM does not account for. DEM is great at modeling bulk material, but dust and air are more of a CFD analysis due to their small particle size and associated behavior. Therefore, BFA does not directly show or analyze dust particles.  

Dust is more of a rule of thumb when observing and analyzing the material flow. We want the material flow to stay consolidated and condense throughout the transfer - and especially when loading receiving conveyors - so there is minimal dust created. 

We always use the example of a sponge and water. When you fill the sponge with water this is equivalent to allowing the material spread out. Then when the sponge is squeezed to expel water this is equivalent to asking the material stream to consolidate quickly from a spread stream to a condensed stream. The dust is effectively expelled out of the material stream as water would be with the sponge. The most common area in a transfer chute for this to happen is near the receiving conveyor so it's important to start consolidating the material stream before reaching the receiving conveyor.