We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Straight and curved cylindrical rods settling in quiescent fluid with application to atmospheric microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers experimentally showed that curved microplastic fibers sink faster than straight ones of the same size and developed a new model to predict how different fiber shapes settle through air — findings that help explain how atmospheric microplastics travel and where they ultimately deposit.
In this study, an experimental analysis is conducted on the settling of straight and curved cylindrical rods, which are used to replicate a Reynolds number range applicable to atmospheric settling of microplastic fibres. The rods are dropped in a chamber filled with a quiescent water–glycerin mixture, and their settling velocity is determined from the images of two cameras arranged with perpendicular views. It is shown that a curved cylindrical rod settles faster than a straight cylindrical rod with the same diameter and length. As the rod radius of curvature decreases, the terminal velocity increases, and the corresponding drag coefficient decreases. The maximum difference in the terminal velocity between the straight and curved rods depends on the rod aspect ratio, curvature index, and Reynolds number. A new semi-empirical model is also developed to estimate the drag coefficient and terminal velocity of both straight and curved cylindrical rods studied in this research. The results of the new model are significantly more consistent with the experimental data compared to the previous models, with a low RMS error of 6.8%. This novel model has been utilized to predict the terminal velocity of realistic fibres in the atmosphere.
More Papers Like This
Settling and Rising Hydrodynamics of Microplastic Pollutants: A Numerical Study
AI summary Read the abstract
Using numerical hydrodynamic modeling, researchers investigated how microplastics of varying shapes, densities, and sizes settle and rise through aquatic environments, revealing complex transport behaviors that differ substantially from natural particles. Understanding these movement dynamics is essential for predicting where microplastics accumulate in water bodies, informing risk assessments for aquatic organisms and the design of effective removal strategies.
Settling and Rising Hydrodynamics of Microplastic Contaminants: A Numerical Investigation
AI summary Read the abstract
Numerical investigation of microplastic settling and rising behavior in water reveals how particle shape, density, and size influence their hydrodynamic trajectories and ultimate fate in aquatic systems. These computational findings improve our ability to model microplastic transport and deposition, which is fundamental to understanding where particles accumulate and which organisms are most exposed.
Low Reynolds Number Settling of Cylindrical Rods with Various Geometries in a Quiescent Fluid
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers experimentally investigated the settling behaviour of curved, V-shaped, U-shaped, and S-shaped cylindrical rods at low Reynolds numbers to improve models of atmospheric microplastic fibre transport, conducting experiments with millimeter-scale metal rods spanning aspect ratios from 10 to 120. The study found that fibre geometry significantly affects settling trajectories and drag compared to simplified sphere or straight-cylinder approximations used in current atmospheric transport models.
Effects of Shape and Size on Microplastic Atmospheric Settling Velocity
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured atmospheric settling and horizontal drift velocities of various microplastic shapes and sizes in controlled settling chambers, providing empirical data needed to improve atmospheric transport models that explain how microplastics reach remote environments.
Terminal Settling Velocity of Cylindrical Rods with Various Geometries Applicable to Atmospheric Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured how the shape of cylindrical microplastic fibers affects their settling speed through air, finding that curved and V-shaped fibers fall significantly faster than straight ones — up to 57% faster for V-shaped rods — which matters for predicting how airborne microplastics disperse in the atmosphere.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.