(99b) Impact of Binary and Continuous Particle Size Distributions On Clustering, Granular Shear Flows

investigated with respect to the effect of both binary and continuous size

distributions. Analysis of these systems employs a length scale based on the

radial distribution function along with an evaluation of clustered- and dilute-

region concentrations and temperatures. In particular, two questions are

considered: (1) What is the effect of the particle size distributions on the

prevalence of clusters? (2) Does preferential segregation of large or small

species occur within the clustered regions? Results indicate that all

investigated particle size distributions (binary, Gaussian, lognormal) behave

similarly with respect to these questions. The prevalence of clusters

increases with an increased deviation from the monodisperse limit. Moreover,

large particles tend preferentially toward the clustered regions, which exhibit

lower temperatures than surrounding dilute regions. Such segregation toward

low-temperature regions is consistent with the well-known tendency for the

segregation of large particles toward steady-state low temperature regions, in

spite of the transient nature of the clustered regions and the pertinent

temperature gradients in the current work.