(521g) Rate-Based Separation by Exploiting Cohesive Interactions

Achieving an efficient separation of individual components in a granular mixture is as much of a challenge as achieving a complete mixture. This is particularly true, if one want to utilize methods that are either low in energy intensity or environmentally benign, or both. This study focuses on a novel separation technique, analogous to chromatography for a fluid system, which we call ‘granular chromatography’. In general, chromatography takes advantage of the preferential adsorption of one component, within a mixture, to the selected adsorbent. Here, we exploit a granular equivalent whereby particles preferentially adhere to a vibrated chute. Specifically, we select a fluid that through the combined effect of capillary and viscous forces causes preferential adhesion of one of the particle types in a granular mixture. Hence, separation is predicated on differences between the relative importance of the "work of wet adhesion" and the vibration energy for the particle sin question. Preliminary DEM simulations determine parameters that yield separation for both size and density variable granular mixtures. The effectiveness of this separation method can be verified experimentally and using simulations. The ‘granular chromatography’ theory developed verifies these results and allows for prediction of separation in different systems.