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  • Rapid Communication

Segregation physics of a macroscale granular ratchet

Ashish Bhateja* and Ishan Sharma†

Jayant K. Singh‡

  • Mechanics & Applied Mathematics Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur 208016, Uttar Pradesh, India

  • Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur 208016, Uttar Pradesh, India

  • *bhateja@iitb.ac.in
  • †ishans@iitk.ac.in
  • ‡jayantks@iitk.ac.in

Phys. Rev. Fluids 2, 052301(R) – Published 10 May, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.2.052301

Abstract

New experiments with multigrain mixtures in a laterally shaken, horizontal channel show complete axial segregation of species. The channel consists of multiple concatenated trapeziums, and superficially resembles microratchets wherein asymmetric geometries and potentials transport, and sort, randomly agitated microscopic particles. However, the physics of our macroscale granular ratchet is fundamentally different, as macroscopic segregation is gravity driven. Our observations are not explained by classical granular segregation theories either. Motivated by the experiments, extensive parallelized discrete element simulations reveal that the macroratchet differentiates grains through hierarchical bidirectional segregation over two different time scales: Grains rapidly sort vertically into horizontal bands spanning the channel's length that, subsequently, slowly separate axially, driven by strikingly gentle, average interfacial pressure gradients acting over long distances. At its maximum, the pressure gradient responsible for axial separation was due to a change in height of about two big grain diameters (d=7 mm) over a meter-long channel. The strong directional segregation achieved by the granular macroratchet has practical importance, while identifying the underlying new physics will further our understanding of granular segregation in industrial and geophysical processes.

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