Energy diffusion in a granular flow of disk shaped solids (Q1071536)

The kinetic energy of a granular flow consists in part of the energy associated with the random velocity fluctuations v' of the individual solid particles. When the magnitude of v' varies throughout the flow field a transfer of kinetic energy \(\rho \nu '{}^ 2/2\) occurs that must be considered when evaluating the energy balance relationship. In the present investigation this energy transfer or diffusion is quantified for the flow of a granular continuum consisting of disk-shaped solids. The theoretical development involves a detailed analysis of the binary collision mechanics which results from the interaction between adjacent disks within the granular mixture. The energy diffusion term developed in this investigation, in conjunction with the stress and energy dissipation functions previously reported by the authors, ibid. 22, 829-843 (1984; Zbl 0556.73001), provides all of the constitutive relationships that are necessary to describe the two-dimensional uniform flow of a granular mixture of disk-shaped solids.