Experimental Realization of a Rotational Ratchet in a Granular Gas

Peter Eshuis, Ko van der Weele, Detlef Lohse, and Devaraj van der Meer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 248001 – Published 16 June 2010
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Abstract

We construct a ratchet of the Smoluchowski-Feynman type, consisting of four vanes that are allowed to rotate freely in a vibrofluidized granular gas. The necessary out-of-equilibrium environment is provided by the inelastically colliding grains, and the equally crucial symmetry breaking by applying a soft coating to one side of each vane. The onset of the ratchet effect occurs at a critical shaking strength via a smooth, continuous phase transition. For very strong shaking the vanes interact actively with the gas and a convection roll develops, sustaining the rotation of the vanes.

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  • Received 10 March 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.248001

©2010 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Peter Eshuis1, Ko van der Weele2, Detlef Lohse1, and Devaraj van der Meer1

  • 1Physics of Fluids, University of Twente, Post Office Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
  • 2Mathematics Department, University of Patras, 26500 Patras, Greece

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Issue

Vol. 104, Iss. 24 — 18 June 2010

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