Experimental Evidence of Mixture Segregation by Particle Size Distribution

In this study, we discuss experimental segregation results obtained for two industrial cases, namely, ammonium perchlorate and a polymeric resin. These results show a segregation effect due to particle size distribution rather than particle size itself. We used a heap-pouring device as a tester, for which a visual knowledge of the segregation state was observed. The analysis of segregation is based on various coefficients of variations related to the size fractions or particle size distribution's global characteristics, indicating heterogeneities in the heaps formed. Both cases indicate that wide particle size distributions, as opposed to narrow ones, are limiting segregation risks. This collective, and maybe astonishing, effect is extremely marked for the cases studied, and demonstrates again the mesoscopic nature of granular media.