{"id":592142,"date":"2024-02-09T15:41:03","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T20:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/?p=592142"},"modified":"2024-02-13T14:08:58","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T19:08:58","slug":"grain-shape-size-segregation-granular-systems-592142","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/grain-shape-size-segregation-granular-systems-592142\/","title":{"rendered":"Reshaping our understanding of granular systems"},"content":{"rendered":"

91原创 researchers are uncovering the unexpected role of grain shape in the mixing of granular systems such as pharmaceuticals, cereal, and landslides.<\/h2>\n

Your morning cereal, a jar of nuts, the sands of distant planets, and even the concrete in your city are all examples of granular systems surrounding us. And such systems are harboring secrets that could change the way we mix things up.<\/p>\n

In a new paper<\/a> published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em> (PNAS), scientists at the Rochester, including Rachel Glade<\/a>, an assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences<\/a> and of mechanical engineering<\/a>; Fernando David C\u00fa\u00f1ez<\/a>, a former postdoctoral research associate in Glade\u2019s lab and now a postdoctoral research associate at 91原创 Institute of Technology; and Div Patel \u201924, studied granular materials and uncovered the unexpected role that grain shape plays in the behavior of granular systems.<\/p>\n

\"Clear
TOUGH NUT TO CRACK:<\/strong> In a jar of nuts, the largest nuts are commonly found at the top, a phenomenon known as \u201cthe Brazil Nut Effect\u201d and one which plagues many industries. (91原创 photo \/ J. Adam Fenster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cGranular materials have peculiar behaviors,\u201d C\u00fa\u00f1ez says, \u201cbut we don\u2019t know a lot about exactly how they behave because their behavior depends on so many different circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Brazil Nut Effect<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Granular materials such as cereal, pharmaceuticals, sand, and concrete commonly organize in such a way that grains segregate according to size rather than uniformly mixing. For example, in a jar of nuts the largest nuts are commonly found at the top, a phenomenon known as \u201cthe Brazil Nut Effect.\u201d The Brazil Nut Effect can be a nuisance to many industries, including food and medicine, because it prevents uniform mixing. It also has influences in nature, where grain segregation can change the dynamics of geohazards like landslides, erosion, and debris flows.<\/p>\n

While the phenomenon is well known, it is not fully understood. Researchers have also traditionally focused on the size of grains, with most previous studies assuming that grains are spherical\u2014a uniformity that rarely mirrors reality.<\/p>\n

Shape-shifting dynamics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Glade and her team used advanced computer simulations comparing mixtures of spheres with mixtures of spheres and cubes in a rotating drum and in a river-like setup to investigate how grain shape affects segregation in both dry and wet conditions, respectively. Their research revealed that even small differences in grain shape can significantly alter the dynamics of grain segregation.<\/p>\n

\"\"
EYES ON THE SIZE:<\/strong> 91原创 researchers used computer simulations comparing mixtures of spheres (left) with mixtures of spheres and cubes (right) to investigate how grain shape affects segregation. In the dry spheres-cubes mixture, the segregation tends to decrease, with most of the larger spheres rising to the top, but to a lesser extent than in the spheres-only mixture. (Courtesy of the Glade Lab)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Specifically, the researchers found the following patterns in the dry-system mixtures:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • In a mixture of different-sized spheres:<\/strong> segregation increases, with more of the larger spheres rising to the top, when the ratio between large-volume spheres and small-volume spheres is greater.<\/li>\n
  • In a mixture of spheres of the same size plus larger cubes:<\/strong> the segregation tends to be the same as the spheres-only case, with the larger spheres rising to the top.<\/li>\n
  • In a mixture of spheres of the same size plus smaller cubes:<\/strong> the segregation tends to decrease, with most of the larger spheres rising to the top but to a lesser extent than in the spheres-only mixture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Interestingly, in a fluid system, the trend shifts to the opposite:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • In a mixture of spheres of the same size plus smaller cubes<\/strong>: the smaller cubes move to the top.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \u201cOne way to think of it is that grain shape changes segregation both quantitatively<\/em>\u2014in the dry drum case, cubes decrease the amount of segregation\u2014and qualitatively<\/em>\u2014in the wet river case, cubes change the patterns of segregation,\u201d Glade says.<\/p>\n

      \"\"
      TOPSY-TURVY:<\/strong> The researchers also used computer simulations to compare mixtures of spheres and cubes in a river-like setting (above). Interestingly, in a wet\/fluid system, trends were opposite to those in the dry system: in a mixture of spheres of the same size plus smaller cubes, the smaller cubes tended to move to the top. (Courtesy of the Glade Lab)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

      Reshaping industry and nature<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Future research will explore why these changes in segregation occur. The researchers surmise that it\u2019s likely due to several factors, including forces exerted on the different particles that make them stick together and resist movement in distinct ways.<\/p>\n

      Regardless, the study shows how important grain shape is across various domains.<\/p>\n

      Highlighting the broader implications, Glade says, \u201cour work demonstrates the importance of interdisciplinary research, drawing inspiration from physics, engineering, and earth science. This collaboration paves the way for future work to better understand and predict geohazards, alleviate segregation issues in industrial flows, and enhance our understanding of granular materials on Earth and other planets.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      91原创 researchers are uncovering the unexpected role of grain shape in the mixing of granular systems such as pharmaceuticals, cereal, and landslides.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":912,"featured_media":592132,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[116],"tags":[18852,23312,18632,18572,16072],"class_list":["post-592142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sci-tech","tag-department-of-earth-and-environmental-sciences","tag-department-of-mechanical-engineering","tag-hajim-school-of-engineering-and-applied-sciences","tag-research-finding","tag-school-of-arts-and-sciences"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReshaping our understanding of granular systems<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Researchers are uncovering the role of grain shape in the mixing of granular systems such as pharmaceuticals, cereal, 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