The design of handling equipment for granular biomass primarily requires experiments. Discrete element models (DEM) can provide designers with detailed insight into the behaviour of granular materials. However, granular biomass comprising complex-shaped particles is difficult to model with DEM. A tomography-informed DEM approach and an exhaustive assessment of the ability of the approach to predict the bulk behaviour of milled pines using experimental data is presented. Nano-CT scan was conducted to obtain 3D particle surface geometries as the basis for particle shape approximation by a polyhedral model and a sphero-polyhedral model. These models were applied in the simulation of a compressibility test. Our parametric study showed that particle Young's modulus and restitution coefficient are the two main properties influencing the simulated bulk behaviour of the DEM particles and that the level of approximating DEM particle shape for real particles is critical for accurately replicating the bulk behaviour of milled pines. The polyhedral model demonstrated better suitability than its sphero-polyhedral counterpart for modelling pine particles. The polyhedral model calibrated in a compressibility test was then applied in the simulations of a friction test without additional parameter tuning. Interlocking was dominant in the shear of bulk pine particles. Remarkably, the polyhedral model predicted the frictional behaviour of the pine particles when compared to the experimental results. The limitations of the model, as well as possible ways for enhancement, are discussed. This work provided novel insights into the suitability of complex-shaped DEM models for granular woody biomass.

颗粒状生物质处理设备的设计主要需要进行实验。离散元素模型（DEM）可以为设计人员提供对颗粒材料行为的详细了解。但是，包含复杂形状颗粒的颗粒状生物质很难用DEM建模。提出了一种断层扫描信息化的DEM方法，并详尽地评估了该方法使用实验数据预测碾磨后的松木的整体性能的能力。通过多面体模型和球面多面体模型，进行了纳米CT扫描以获得3D颗粒表面几何形状，作为近似颗粒形状的基础。这些模型被应用于可压缩性测试的模拟中。我们的参数研究表明，粒子Young' s模量和恢复系数是影响DEM颗粒的模拟块体行为的两个主要属性，对于真实颗粒而言，近似于DEM颗粒形状的水平对于准确复制铣削松树的块体行为至关重要。多面体模型比球形多面体模型对松木粒子建模的适应性更好。然后将在可压缩性测试中校准的多面体模型应用于摩擦测试的仿真中，而无需进行其他参数调整。互锁在松散大颗粒的剪切中占主导地位。值得注意的是，与实验结果相比，多面体模型预测了松树颗粒的摩擦行为。讨论了模型的局限性以及可能的增强方法。