Particle transport by standing waves on an electric curtain

Discrete-element simulations are performed to study particle transport by standing waves on an electric curtain. An electric curtain consists of a series of parallel electrodes with oscillating potential field embedded in a dielectric surface. The study shows that particles can be transported in two different modes under excitation by standing waves. In the first mode, particles roll along the surface in a constant direction with average velocity equal to the wave speed. In the second mode, particles hop along the surface in a manner akin to a Brownian motion. Effect of particle collisions on these transport modes is evaluated.