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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Origin of granular axial segregation bands in a rotating tumbler: An interface-mixing driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability

Umberto D'Ortona1,*, Richard M. Lueptow2,3, and Nathalie Thomas4

  • *Contact author: umberto.dortona@cnrs.fr
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Phys. Rev. Research 6, L032038 – Published 19 August, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L032038

Abstract

The origin of large and small particle axial bands in long rotating tumblers is a long-standing question. Using DEM simulations, we show that this axial segregation is due to a Rayleigh-Taylor instability which is characterized by the fact that the density of a granular medium increases with mixing and decreases with segregation. For initially mixed particles, segregation and collisional diffusion in the flowing layer balance and lead to a three-layer system, with a layer of large particles over a layer of small particles, and, interposed between these layers, a layer of more densely packed mixed particles. The higher density mixed particle layer over the lower density small particle layer induces a Rayleigh-Taylor instability, evident as waviness in the interface between the layers. The waviness destabilizes into ascending plumes of small particles and descending plumes of mixed particles with large particles enriched near the surface, which become evident as small and large particle bands visible at the free surface. Rolls driven by segregation at the tilted interface between plumes maintain the pattern of frozen plumes.

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Phys. Rev. Research 6, L032038– Published 19 August, 2024
  • Received 16 February 2024
  • Accepted 6 August 2024
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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