Experimental study on solid particle dynamics in shear flow

Abstract Uniform shear flow of suspensions is generated between two vertical parallel belts with adjustable speeds. Two cameras at right angles are used to track the three-dimensional motion of solid particles. The experiments were carried out with three particle sizes, four carrier fluids and five shear rates. The experiments are illustrated for suspensions of spheres of 12.6-mm dia, with a relative density in fluid ϱ S /ϱ F = 1.166, and concentration α S = 5 vol.%. Opaque particles are introduced in the optically transparent mixture of particles having the same refractive index as the carrying fluid. The paper presents the apparatus, the high-speed video recording of the interior of the flow field, and the image analysis. The recorded data provide the necessary information to identify the flow regime, to determine single particle dynamics, the inertial shear stresses and kinetic energy, to measure the density distribution functions for parameters attached to neighboring particles, as well as to find significant correlations for the assembly of particles within a control volume. The results will be used to better understand the transport processes at particle scale and improve the macroscopic modeling.