Influence of particle shape on the packing and on the segregation of spherocylinders via Monte Carlo simulations

Knowledge of the properties of granular materials is important for efficient and safe design of industrial equipment. In this work, the Monte Carlo method is used for simulating granular systems of spherocylindrical particles. After presenting an overview of such method and of overlap detection in systems of hard spherocylinders, the application of the method for granular systems is discussed. Then, porosities, calculated for simulated monodispersed beds, are presented as functions of the particle elongation. Next, results for vibration-induced segregation of binary mixtures of spherocylinders with identical volume and density, but with different elongations, are evaluated, showing the influence of the particle shape on this phenomenon. Finally, effects of size and shape on such segregation are contrasted using results with simultaneous variation of particle volume and elongation. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.