Time of avalanche mixing of granular materials in a half filled drum

The avalanche mixing of granular solids in a slowly rotated 2D upright drum is studied. We demonstrate that the account of the difference δ between the angle of marginal stability and the angle of repose of the granular material leads to a restricted value of the mixing time τ for a half filled drum. The process of mixing is described by a linear discrete difference equation. We show that the mixing looks like linear diffusion of fractions with the diffusion coefficient vanishing when δ is an integer part of π. Introduction of fluctuations of δ suppresses the singularities of τ(δ) and smoothes the dependence τ(δ). Received 27 October 2000 and Received in final form 13 March 2001     

三维漏斗中颗粒物质堵塞问题的数值实验研究

对于工程和实验中使用漏斗颗粒流而言,连续稳定的流量是必要的.当漏斗口较小时,很容易发生堵塞行为.堵塞现象对于交通流、疏散问题等也具有重要的意义.前人主要使用扰动的方法破坏漏斗中已有的堵塞,以便引起下一次堵塞,加快实验进程.本文利用自主开发的基于GPU(graphics processing unit)的密集颗粒流模拟程序,主要研究当三维漏斗开口打开后的第一次堵塞行为,不再引入扰动.详细讨论了漏斗开口尺寸、漏斗锥角等几何参数对坍塌规模的影响.发现对于坍塌规模的概率分布符合前人的研究结果,可以分为两部分:峰的左边呈幂函数上升形式,峰的右边呈指数衰减趋势.对于漏斗开口尺寸和漏斗锥角而言,均存在一个临界值使得堵塞不再发生.     

Shapes of heaps and in silos

Experimental investigations on the shape of a heap formed in a Hele Shaw cell either on a flat base or in a two-dimensional silo are presented. We have focused our attention on the shape dependence on mass flux and initial energy of particles poured into the cell. Two kinds of granular media are considered: glass beads and sand and we shall point out their different behaviors. We described the variations of the angle of repose and of the size of the tail as a function of the experimental parameters. We also report the time evolution of the angle of repose during the formation of the heap. Received 28 September 1998 and Received in final form 20 January 1999     

沙漏计时原理二维数值模拟

提出沙漏计时二维数值模型,并用元胞自动机的方法对该模型进行计算机模拟.结果表明由于开口处沙粒的流动而引起的沙堆崩塌行为是一个准周期性振荡过程,开口大小与崩塌总时间近似成线性关系.特殊的开口位置会引起崩塌"拍",且随沙堆高度呈周期性变化.     

倾斜沙漏流与颗粒休止角研究

本文发现在测量误差内颗粒物质的下列三个临界角度相等: 1)从直径为D的倾斜孔洞流出的Beverloo颗粒流的流量开始停止的临界倾角θ_c 向大孔径极限线性外推θ_c∞≡θ_c(D→∞) 的补角θ_s∞= 180°-θ_c∞;2) 从靠近堆顶的点源向光滑底板缓慢下落颗粒形成的圆锥形堆的休止角θ_r; 3) 直接剪切矩形颗粒固体测得的库仑内摩擦角φ. 该结果倾向支持倾斜孔洞和颗粒堆自由表面的固-液转变与颗粒固体内部的库仑屈服均来自材料的同一临界性质. 由于三种情况样品的内部应力和变形等都是目前还远不能定量分析的复杂非均匀分布, 我们仅从定性角度对此给出一些讨论.     

Characterizing the Flowability of a Powder Using the Concepts of Fractal Geometry and Chaos Theory

Avalanching powder is a non-linear system which falls within a branch of the modern science known as deterministic chaos. The pattern of events generated by an avalanching powder can be described using the concepts of fractal geometry. The basic theory of these new techniques for characterizing the flowability of a powder by avalanching studies is outlined. Two different instruments: a ramp for flow studies and a rotating disc for studying avalanches are described. Data characterizing the effect of particle size, humidity, and flowagents on the flowability of powders is presented. The usefulness of angle of repose measurements is discussed.     

Self-organized critical earthquake model with moving boundary

A globally driven self-organized critical model of earthquakes with conservative dynamics has been studied. An open but moving boundary condition has been used so that the origin (epicenter) of every avalanche (earthquake) is at the center of the boundary. As a result, all avalanches grow in equivalent conditions and the avalanche size distribution obeys excellent finite size scaling. Though the recurrence time distribution of the time series of avalanche sizes obeys well both the scaling forms recently observed in analysis of the real data of earthquakes, it is found that the scaling function decays only exponentially in contrast to a generalized gamma distribution observed in the real data analysis. The non-conservative version of the model shows periodicity even with open boundary.     

颗粒孔洞流的最大休止倾角和流量公式

实验测量了重力驱动下的玻璃珠颗粒样品通过不同倾角和孔径的圆形孔洞的卸载流量.发现无论孔径大小,流量均与倾角的余弦呈良好的线性关系;线性外推得到的零流量角,即流量休止临界角随颗粒粒径与孔洞直径之比的减小而线性增加;在无穷大孔径极限下,此临界角在Bagnold角的误差范围内与样品的安息角一致.这些结果表明流量随倾角余弦线性变化的经验公式能揭示临界角的行为和特性,这是参数随倾角变化的Beverloo公式所不能描述的. 关键词： 颗粒物质 倾斜孔洞流 Beverloo公式     

Time-Inhomogeneous Fokker-Planck Equation for Wave Distributions in the Abelian Sandpile Model

The time and size distributions of the waves of topplings in the Abelian sandpile model are expressed as the first arrival at the origin distribution for a scale invariant, time-inhomogeneous Fokker-Plank equation. Assuming a linear conjecture for the time inhomogeneity exponent as a function of a loop-erased random walk (LERW) critical exponent, suggested by numerical results, this approach allows one to estimate the lower critical dimension of the model and the exact value of the critical exponent for LERW in three dimensions. The avalanche size distribution in two dimensions is found to be the difference between two closed power laws.     

Temporally heterogeneous dynamics in granular flows

Granular simulations are used to probe the particle scale dynamics at short, intermediate, and long time scales for gravity-driven, dense granular flows down an inclined plane. On approach to the angle of repose, where motion ceases, the dynamics become intermittent over intermediate times, with strong temporal correlations between particle motions-temporally heterogeneous dynamics. This intermittency is characterized through large-scale structural events whereby the contact network periodically spans the system. A characteristic time scale associated with these processes increases as the stopped state is approached. These features are discussed in the context of the dynamics of supercooled liquids near the glass transition.     

Anomalous Scaling Behaviors in a Rice-Pile Model with Two Different Driving Mechanisms

The moment analysis is applied to perform large scale simulations of the rice-pile model. We find that this model shows different scaling behavior depending on the driving mechanism used. With the noisy driving, the rice-pile model violates the finite-size scaling hypothesis, whereas, with fixed driving, it shows well defined avalanche exponents and displays good finite size scaling behavior for the avalanche size and time duration distributions.     

Anomalous Scaling Behaviors in a Rice-Pile Model with Two Different Driving Mechanisms

The moment analysis is applied to perform large scale simulations of the rice-pile model. We find that this model shows different scaling behavior depending on the driving mechanism used. With the noisy driving, the rice-pile model violates the finite-size scaling hypothesis, whereas, with fixed driving, it shows well defined avalanche exponents and displays good finite size scaling behavior for the avalanche size and time duration distributions.     

颗粒滚动摩擦系数对堆积特性的影响

为探讨颗粒摩擦系数对堆积特性的影响,利用离散单元法,模拟静摩擦系数固定时,变化滚动摩擦系数对椭球形颗粒堆积角及堆积体的影响.利用自制斜面仪测定了颗粒静摩擦系数,并对滚动摩擦系数与堆积角建立线性方程.结果表明,滚动摩擦系数对颗粒堆积特性有显著影响,颗粒堆积角随滚动摩擦系数增大而增大,边界圆与连续圆间的间隙随滚动摩擦系数增大而减小.依据颗粒堆积过程中旋转动能的变化可以阐述上述结果,建立的滚动摩擦系数与堆积角的线性方程可为具体颗粒物料滚动摩擦系数的获取提供数值测量思路.模拟堆积的过程可为散体物料一些不易测量的参数进行虚拟实验标定.     

颗粒堆内微观力学结构的离散元模拟研究

将离散单元法应用到三维堆积过程的模拟计算,探讨了滑动摩擦及滚动摩擦对堆积形成的影响,得到了颗粒堆内部的应力分布规律,发现颗粒堆的形态是由滑动摩擦和滚动摩擦共同决定的,在堆内颗粒间的作用力基本呈树状结构.在模拟得到的颗粒堆中出现了应力分布奇异现象,在堆积角较大的情况下,颗粒堆与地面间作用力的最大值常发生在距堆底中心不远的环状区域,而并非发生在堆底的中心;在堆积角相对较小时颗粒堆与地面间作用力的最大值较容易发生在堆底的中心.对于一个颗粒堆,具体会发生哪种受力情况具有一定的偶然性. 关键词： 堆积 离散单元法 计算颗粒力学     

沙丘粗糙面的二次极化电磁散射

研究了新月形沙丘粗糙面的二次极化电磁散射. 结合射线追踪理论, 由一次散射面元的反射场照射到二次散射面元, 采用基尔霍夫近似推导了二次散射面元的二次极化散射场. 计算结果表明二次极化散射结果在特定的角度和类型范围内有显著影响. 在电磁波射向背风坡时可以发现其同极化散射截面在入射角较大时大于其他入射方向的结果, 入射角在休止角附近时的交叉极化散射截面出现峰值, 以及前后狭长沙丘之间的二次极化散射特别突出. 本文结果可用于反演分析沙漠地区的风场信息. 关键词： 新月形沙丘 二次极化散射 射线追踪 休止角     

Effect of granular size on the angle of repose in the chute

Avalanche in the chute has been studied to examine how the sizes of granules affect the angle of repose θ _r when the width of the chute is fixed. The results show that the angle of repose in the chute has exponential decay with λ, which is the reciprocal of granular diameter d. The fluctuation of the angle of repose is also studied during the chute being tilted, and the results indicate that the fluctuation of the angle of repose increases with the increase of granular diameter d. Supported by the Youth Project Foundation of Taizhou University (Grant No. 06QN08)     

Looking for self-organized critical behavior in avalanches of slightly cohesive powders

We report results from a statistical analysis of avalanches of cohesive powders in a slowly rotated drum. Interparticle adhesion, which diminishes the effect of inertia and whose magnitude strongly fluctuates in a local scale, makes avalanches in slightly cohesive powders eligible for displaying self-organized criticality. However, the results show that avalanche sizes, time interval between avalanches, and maximum stable angle do not follow a power-law distribution. Otherwise, these parameters scale with powder cohesiveness.     

Characterising Semi-Cohesive Powders using angle of repose

When properly measured and interpreted angle of repose (AOR) can be a useful method of characterising a powder. Unfortunately, a multitude of definitions and measuring equipment is used. A review of the inherent problems is presented in the first part of this paper. The second part of the paper describes the improvements made to a measuring device developed originally for measuring the angle of repose of soda ash, so that a wider range of powders can be tested. In the improved design, the tendency of cohesive and semi-cohesive powders to block the device's funnel has been eliminated. A total of 73 powders consisting of four different materials, and covering Groups A, A/C and C of Geldart's classification, have been tested using the new equipment. The results show that AOR increases systematically with decrease in mean particle size. Combination of AOR measured in the new device with aerated bulk density provides a quick, sensitive and effective method for characterising a wide range of powders.     

Monte Carlo simulation of electron avalanches and avalanche size distributions in methane

The simulation of electron avalanches and avalanche size distributions in methane is presented in this paper. A model for electron transport under the influence of a constant electric field based on the Monte Carlo method is described in detail. The model is verified and then used to simulate the avalanche development, to calculate the number of electrons in the avalanche (avalanche size), and to determine the avalanche size distribution. The simulated avalanche size distributions in methane are compared with the experimental results, and a good agreement is observed. The influence of inter‐electrode distance, pressure, and reduced electric field on the shape of the avalanche size distribution is discussed. The assumption from the literature that for a constant reduced electric field the shape of the reduced avalanche size distribution is independent of the mean size of the avalanche is confirmed for a wide range of experimental conditions. The simulations have shown that avalanche size distributions depend only on the reduced electric field, confirming the similarity principle.