Transport coefficients of driven granular fluids at moderate volume fractions

TL;DR

This paper improves the theoretical prediction of transport coefficients in driven granular fluids at moderate densities by proposing a modified Sonine approximation, enhancing agreement with simulation data.

Contribution

It introduces a modified Sonine approximation for the Enskog equation tailored to driven granular fluids, improving quantitative accuracy over previous dilute-based models.

Findings

Enhanced agreement between theory and simulations for transport coefficients.

Modified Sonine approximation outperforms previous dilute-based models.

Provides a more accurate theoretical framework for driven granular fluids.

Abstract

In a recent publication [Phys. Rev. E \textbf{83}, 011301 (2011)], Vollmayr--Lee \emph{et al.} have determined by computer simulations the thermal diffusivity and the longitudinal viscosity coefficients of a driven granular fluid of hard spheres at intermediate volume fractions. Although they compare their simulation results with the predictions of kinetic theory, they use the dilute expressions for the driven system and the modified Sonine approximations for the undriven system. The goal here is to carry out this comparison by proposing a modified Sonine approximation to the Enskog equation for driven granular fluids that leads to a better quantitative agreement.