Steady state particle distribution of a dilute sedimenting suspension

TL;DR

This paper investigates the steady-state distribution of particles in a dilute sedimenting suspension, deriving an explicit two-particle distribution function and calculating the sedimentation coefficient, with results validated against experiments.

Contribution

It provides an explicit calculation of the two-particle distribution function and sedimentation coefficient for dilute suspensions, advancing understanding of particle correlations during sedimentation.

Findings

Explicit two-particle distribution function derived

Sedimentation coefficient computed and validated against experiments

Finite particle correlation length established in dilute limit

Abstract

Sedimentation of a non-Brownian suspension of hard particles is studied. It is shown that in the low concentration limit a two-particle distribution function ensuring finite particle correlation length can be found and explicitly calculated. The sedimentation coefficient is computed. Results are compared with experiment.