A new experimental approach to examination of orientation distribution of cylindrical particles in random packed beds

Abstract

Detailed studies of a random packed bed structure typically require complex and expensive experimental methods e.g. computer tomography in various forms (X-ray or gamma-ray). This is the main reason why such studies are rather scarce in the literature. In this paper, a new simple method is proposed that can be used in extensive studies of orientation distribution of particles with one axis of symmetry, cylindrical in particular. The idea of the method is to fill transparent particles with two immiscible substances, one with relatively low melting point above the ambient temperature (e.g. water and paraffin). The particles should be dumped in the container when the substances are in the liquid state. Then, at ambient conditions, the inclination of the interface between the solid and liquid phase represent the original orientation of a particle inside the packed bed. Sample results obtained with this method show quite good agreement with numerical simulations and other experimental works employing much more advanced techniques.