Detachment of adhered particles from a cloth surface subjected to a rod strike

Abstract

A mechanical impulse can cause adhered particles to detach from a surface. For various purposes, particle detachment may need to be enhanced or restricted. Unlike rigid solids, cloth material can be deformed or bent by a mechanical impulse. However, neither the cloth deformation nor the induced turbulent airflow has been well studied. This investigation experimentally measured the detachment of Arizona test dust (ATD) from cloth segments. The vertical margins of each cloth segment were fastened to a frame, and the cloth surface with the ATD adhered to the reverse side was struck with a rod. The cloth motion, induced airflow, and particle detachment were recorded by a high-speed camera. In addition, the displacement and acceleration of the cloth were monitored with a laser distance sensor. The mass percentages of detached particles from the cloth and the particle residual were weighed. Several factors that affected particle detachment were compared. The results revealed that the particle detachment was caused by a combination of the vibrating motion of the cloth surface, the hydrodynamic action of the induced turbulent airflows, and the particle agglomeration when the cloth was bent. A strike could even leave fewer residual particles when a much higher surface dust load had initially adhered to the cloth.Copyright © 2019 American Association for Aerosol Research