A mesh-scale Monte Carlo method for modeling triboelectric charging of chemically identical particles

• Published in: Powder technology Vol. 415; p. 118180
• Main Authors: Ge, Shiyi, Huang, Zhengliang, Sun, Jingyuan, Wang, Jingdai, Yang, Yongrong, Yang, Yao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.02.2023
• Subjects: Charge transfer; Chemically identical particles; Monte Carlo modeling; Size dependence; Surface meshing; Triboelectric charging; Size dependence; Surface meshing; Chemically identical particles; Charge transfer; Monte Carlo modeling; Triboelectric charging
• ISSN: 0032-5910; 1873-328X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2022.118180

Triboelectric charging of chemically identical particles is common. However, its mechanism remains unclear, and methods for modeling this process are scanty. This work developed a mesh-scale Monte Carlo method, in which the particle surface is discretized into fine meshes and non-equilibrium charge transfer is performed on them. The charge-transfer area is estimated by the maximum charge tunneling distance, and the charge relaxation is also described by a phenomenological rate coefficient. With this method, saturated charge-to-mass ratios are predicted within reasonable ranges. The size-dependent charging and the mosaic of surface charges are reproduced. With a self-proposed and validated algorithm for simulating random collisions of particles with wide particle size distributions, the particle size distributions of positively and negatively charged particles are quantitatively validated by experiments. This work will promote further development of theories of triboelectric charging between identical materials and provide a fundamental for investigating electrostatic effects in granular flows. [Display omitted] •Triboelectric charging of chemically identical particles is modeled and validated.•Random collision for particles with wide size distributions is simulated.•Charge transfer is performed with particle surface discretized into fine meshes.•Distributions of saturated charge density are predicted within reasonable ranges.