Experimental investigation on the change of pull-off force between bulk particulate material and an elastic polymeric filter fiber

Hypothesis: Adhesion between particles and a filter fiber is an important process of the filtration as it dic-tates the process of separation and in the following the detachment process of particles during filter regeneration. In addition to the shear stress that a new polymeric stretchable filter fiber implements into the particulate structure, the elongation of the substrate (fiber) is also expected to cause a structural change in the surface of the polymer. Thus, the changed contact area and surface energy could affect the adhesion force between particles and fibers. Experiments: Systematic measurements of adhesion forces between a single particle and the stretchable substrate were performed using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The substrate surface characteristics (roughness) was changed directly beneath the modified measurement head using piezo-motors to achieve stepless elongation state. Polystyrene particles and particles made of Spheriglass were applied. Findings: In the experiments, a reduced adhesion force between the particles and the filter fiber was found for a new high range of substrate roughness and peak-to-peak distance, in which the Rabinovich model has not been used before [1]. Further, the influence of high and low energy surface particulate material was evaluated to understand the detachment process in the new real adaptive filter and in DEM-simulation.(c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.