Fine Particle Percolation Dynamics in Porous Media

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Main Authors: Vyas, Dhairya R., Lueptow, Richard M., Ottino, Julio M., Umbanhowar, Paul B.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Vyas, Dhairya R.
Lueptow, Richard M.
Ottino, Julio M.
Umbanhowar, Paul B.
author_facet Vyas, Dhairya R.
Lueptow, Richard M.
Ottino, Julio M.
Umbanhowar, Paul B.
contents The influences of restitution coefficient, $e_n$, inter-particle friction, $μ$, and size ratio, $R$, on gravity-driven percolation of fine particles through static beds of larger particles in the free-sifting regime ($R \gtrsim 6.5$) remain largely unexplored. Here we use discrete element method simulations to study the fine particle percolation velocity, $v_p$, and velocity fluctuations, $v_{rms}$, for $7 \le R \le 50$ and a range of $e_n$ and $μ$. Increasing $e_n$ increases velocity fluctuations and reduces percolation velocity. Increasing $μ$ decreases $v_{rms}$ but its influence on $v_p$ varies with $v_{rms}$, decreasing $v_p$ for low $v_{rms}$ and increasing $v_p$ for high $v_{rms}$. Although the influence of size ratio is weaker, larger values of $R$ increase both $v_p$ and $v_{rms}$. We also assess the influence of different excitation mechanisms, specifically using static, randomly excited, and sheared beds, finding that an inverse correlation between $v_p$ and $v_{rms}$ persists across all cases and is well-described by the Drude model, where increased scattering reduces mobility, when $v_{rms}$ is large. However, for weakly excited particles with low $v_{rms}$, the Drude analogy breaks down. In this regime, we introduce a staircase-inspired model that accounts for the gravitationally dominated percolation behavior. These findings provide fundamental insight into the mechanisms governing percolation dynamics in porous media and granular systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_10923
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Fine Particle Percolation Dynamics in Porous Media
Vyas, Dhairya R.
Lueptow, Richard M.
Ottino, Julio M.
Umbanhowar, Paul B.
Soft Condensed Matter
The influences of restitution coefficient, $e_n$, inter-particle friction, $μ$, and size ratio, $R$, on gravity-driven percolation of fine particles through static beds of larger particles in the free-sifting regime ($R \gtrsim 6.5$) remain largely unexplored. Here we use discrete element method simulations to study the fine particle percolation velocity, $v_p$, and velocity fluctuations, $v_{rms}$, for $7 \le R \le 50$ and a range of $e_n$ and $μ$. Increasing $e_n$ increases velocity fluctuations and reduces percolation velocity. Increasing $μ$ decreases $v_{rms}$ but its influence on $v_p$ varies with $v_{rms}$, decreasing $v_p$ for low $v_{rms}$ and increasing $v_p$ for high $v_{rms}$. Although the influence of size ratio is weaker, larger values of $R$ increase both $v_p$ and $v_{rms}$. We also assess the influence of different excitation mechanisms, specifically using static, randomly excited, and sheared beds, finding that an inverse correlation between $v_p$ and $v_{rms}$ persists across all cases and is well-described by the Drude model, where increased scattering reduces mobility, when $v_{rms}$ is large. However, for weakly excited particles with low $v_{rms}$, the Drude analogy breaks down. In this regime, we introduce a staircase-inspired model that accounts for the gravitationally dominated percolation behavior. These findings provide fundamental insight into the mechanisms governing percolation dynamics in porous media and granular systems.
title Fine Particle Percolation Dynamics in Porous Media
topic Soft Condensed Matter
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.10923