Abstract

This contribution considers recent developments in understanding the behaviour of vibro-fluidized beads in containers partitioned into several connected chambers. The system is studied theoretically by means of a phenomenological mean-field approach. The equations governing the evolution of the average occupancy and the average kinetic energy of each compartment are derived by means of a simplified treatment of the Boltzmann equation. Some applications of the method are presented. These include the study of a simple granular gas in a many-compartment container and a binary granular mixture in a two-compartment container.