Based on the Boltzmann-Enskog kinetic theory, we develop a hydrodynamic theory for the well known (reverse) Brazil nut segregation in a vibro-fluidized granular mixture. Using an analogy with standard fluid mechanics, we have recently suggested a novel mechanism of segregation in granular mixtures based on a {\it competition between buoyancy and geometric forces}: the Archimedean buoyancy force, a pseudo-thermal buoyancy force due to the difference between the energies of two granular species, and two geometric forces, one compressive and the other-one tensile in nature, due to the size-difference. For a mixture of perfectly hard-particles with elastic collisions, the pseudo-thermal buoyancy force is zero but the intruder has to overcome the net compressive geometric force to rise. For this case, the geometric force competes with the standard Archimedean buoyancy force to yield a threshold density-ratio, $R_{ρ1}=ρ_l/ρ_s < 1$, above which the {\it lighter intruder sinks}, thereby signalling the {\it onset} of the {\it reverse buoyancy} effect. For a mixture of dissipative particles, the non-zero pseudo-thermal buoyancy force gives rise to another threshold density-ratio, $R_{ρ2}$ ($> R_{ρ1}$), above which the intruder rises again. Focussing on the {\it tracer} limit of intruders in a dense binary mixture, we find that the rise-time of the intruder could vary {\it non-monotonically} with the density-ratio. For a given size-ratio, there is a threshold density-ratio for the intruder at which it takes the maximum time to rise, and above(/below) which it rises faster, implying that {\it the heavier (and larger) the intruder, the faster it ascends}. Our theory offers a unified description for the (reverse) Brazil-nut segregation and the non-monotonic ascension dynamics of Brazil-nuts.
It has been recently reported that a granular mixture in which grains differ in their restitution coefficients presents segregation: the more inelastic particles sink to the bottom. When other segregation mechanisms as buoyancy and the Brazil nut effect are present, the inelasticity induced segregation can compete with them. First, a detailed analysis, based on numerical simulations of two dimensional systems, of the competition between buoyancy and the inelasticity induced segregation is presented, finding that there is a transition line in the parameter space that determines which mechanism …
The Brazil-nut effect is the phenomenon in which a large intruder particle immersed in a vertically shaken bed of smaller particles rises to the top, even when it is much denser. The usual practice, while describing these experiments, has been to use the dimensionless acceleration Γ=a ω^2/g, where a and ωare respectively the amplitude and the angular frequency of vibration and g is the acceleration due to gravity. Considering a vibrated quasi-two-dimensional bed of mustard seeds, we show here that the peak-to-peak velocity of shaking v= aω, rather than Γ, is the relevant parameter in the regim…
We present laboratory experiments of a vertically vibrated granular medium consisting of 1 mm diameter glass beads with embedded 8 mm diameter intruder glass beads. The experiments were performed in the laboratory as well as in a parabolic flight under reduced-gravity conditions (on Martian and Lunar gravity levels). We measured the mean rise velocity of the large glass beads and present its dependence on the fill height of the sample containers, the excitation acceleration, and the ambient gravity level. We find that the rise velocity scales in the same manner for all three gravity regimes an…
Grains configuration snapshots of Brazil-nut effect (BNE) in two-dimension are physically modeled using disk-formed objects, e.g., buttons and magnetic pin. These BNE configurations are artificially designed to mimic the real ones observed in experiments. A computer scanner is used to capture the configurations. Obtained images are then digitized using web browser running a HTML equipped with a JavaScript code, which is built mainly only for this work. From digitization process all grains positions (granular bed and intruder) are obtained, which is later analyzed using the simplest model, i.e.…
A binary mixture of particles interacting via long-ranged repulsive forces is studied in gravity by computer simulation and theory. The more repulsive A-particles create a depletion zone of less repulsive B-particles around them reminiscent to a bubble. Applying Archimedes' principle effectively to this bubble, an A-particle can be lifted in a fluid background of B-particles. This "depletion bubble" mechanism explains and predicts a brazil-nut effect where the heavier A-particles float on top of the lighter B-particles. It also implies an effective attraction of an A-particle towards a hard co…
We numerically and experimentally study the segregation dynamics in a binary mixture of microswimmers which move on a two-dimensional substrate in a static periodic triangular-like light intensity field. The motility of the active particles is proportional to the imposed light intensity and they possess a motility contrast, i.e., the prefactor depends on the species. In addition, the active particles also experience a torque aligning their motion towards the direction of the negative intensity gradient. We find a segregation of active particles near the intensity minima where typically one spe…
Inspired by the theoretical prediction [Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 3423 (2001)] and the disputed experimental results [Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 189601(2002), Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 014302 (2003)], we systematically investigate the pattern of binary mixtures consisting of same layer-thickness under vertical vibration. Various kinds of mixtures with different diameters and densities particles are used to observe the separation regime. It is found that these mixtures behave like five kinds of segregation patterns for different driving control parameters, i.e., Brazil nut (BN), reversed Brazil nut (RBN), Mixe…
A recent segregation criterion [V. Garzó, Phys. Rev. E \textbf{78}, 020301(R) (2008)] based on the thermal diffusion factor $Λ$ of an intruder in a heated granular gas described by the inelastic Enskog equation is revisited. The sign of $Λ$ provides a criterion for the transition between the Brazil-nut effect (BNE) and the reverse Brazil-nut effect (RBNE). The present theory incorporates two extra ingredients not accounted for by the previous theoretical attempt. First, the theory is based upon the second Sonine approximation to the transport coefficients of the mass flux of intruder. Second, …
This paper presents the experiments and simulations on the resonance-induced acceleration of the reverse Brazil nut effect (RBNE)-Brazil nut effect (BNE) segregation inversion of binary mixtures in flat-bottom and circular-bottom containers. Both experimental and simulation results indicate that the starting location of the sinkage of heavier grains at the top layer is triggered with certain randomness in the flat-bottom container, whereas it first occurs at either of the lateral edges of the bottom in the circular-bottom container. The quantified segregation factors in simulations show that t…
The size-segregation of granular materials, a process colloquially known as the Brazil Nut Effect, has generally been thought to proceed faster the greater the size difference of the particles. We experimentally investigate sheared bidisperse granular materials as a function of the size ratio of the two species, and find that the mixing rate at low confining pressure behaves as expected from percolation-based arguments. However, we also observe an anomalous effect for the re-segregation rates, wherein particles of both dissimilar and similar sizes segregate more slowly than intermediate partic…
We present molecular dynamics simulations on the segregation of binary mixtures in a high-velocity rotating drum. Depending on the ratio of particle's radius and density, the ring-like spin segregation patterns in radial direction show similarities to the Brazil-nut effect and its reverse form. The smaller and heavier particles are easier to accumulate towards the drum wall and the bigger and lighter ones towards the drum center. Furthermore, we quantify the effects of particle's radius and density on the segregation states and plot the phase diagram of segregation in the ${ρ_b}/{ρ_s}$ - ${r_b…
A model is developed to explain rise time of a spherical intruder placed in a granular bed, which is considered as fluid. Phenomenon of rising intruder in a granular bed is well known as Brazil nut effect. Radius of the intruder is varied with $R_n = R_0 n, n = 1 .. 10$. An approximation for $t << τ$ is chosen in order to simplify the solution of second order differential equation of intruder vertical position to obtain the rise time T. A non-physical parameter $α$ and also transformation from $T$ to $T'$ are needed to be introduced in order to control the results to mimic reported experiment …
