Granular Cooling of Uni-Sized Inelastic Particles in an Obstructed Chute

Abstract

This research aims to experimentally characterize cooling, clogging and jamming of a dry granular flow in a chute partially obstructed by a stopping wall with two slits adjacent to the side walls. We ensemble-average velocities, determined with Particle Tracking Velocimetry, and its fluctuations, to compute mean flow and granular temperature fields. Full chute-wide jamming is triggered by the formation of stable arch-like clogging structures in front of the slits. The statistical distribution of the clogging instant is not heavy-tailed, which indicates that clogging occurs only when the flow through the slits is liquid-like. An upstream-progressing jamming wave eventually forms, similar to that observed in fully obstructed chutes. There is no triple point anywhere, since the flow cools down to a granular liquid before jamming. We identified three main stages of jamming wave propagation. The initial buildup is characterized by high values of the upstream Froude number, slow progression, and transformation of kinetic into potential energy. This occurs with significant granular head losses, as particles attempt to flow over the jam. In the second stage, accretion becomes dominant, characterized by smaller head losses and, consequently, higher values of the jamming wave celerity. In the third stage, the jamming wave propagates against a cooler but faster flow that pushes against the jam, slightly increasing the wave strength. Accretion is the main mechanism of jammed mass increase, justifying a further increase of wave acceleration. The macroscopic aspects of the jamming wave dynamics can be described, as a first approximation, by shallow-water theory.