SBIR Phase I: Theory and Simulation of Dense Phase Granular Materials

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will focus on the application of a generalized kinetic theory to describe the dense, quasistatic, regime of granular materials and the development of a computational tool for engineering design and control applications. Dense phase granular materials play important roles in the energy, metallurgical, food/agricultural, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. There are significant environmental ramifications of granular flows as well. The research effort here will be based on a statistical mechanical approach using nonlinear response theory arid the projection operators methods extended to apply to systems which do not obey detailed balance. New macro-fields, which describe structure, will be introduced in order to close the equations of motion. In parallel, molecular dynamics codes will be developed to test and improve the modeling work. Full macroscopic equations of motion and an efficient molecular dynamics (MD) simulation code for dense phase granular flows are anticipated as the main results of this project. Applications will be made to vibrated and sheared systems as prototype cases. The product to be developed is intended to replace inaccurate empirical estimation with a predictive tool that should find applications throughout the granular material processing industries. In particular, applications include the design of high-performance devices that manufacture, store and transport granular materials. The market for a successful software product could reach $10million per year within 3 - 5 years.