Patent ID: 8155939

Claim:
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for determining particle—surface interactions, the method steps comprising the steps of: inputting particle and surface properties; tracking a plurality of particles through capture on a surface; and determining a distribution of particles reflecting from the surface; wherein the step of tracking a plurality of particles through capture on a surface comprises the step of initializing each particle to a position and velocity and moving the particles and interacting with a surface; wherein moving the particles and interacting with a surface comprises the steps of determining a path of each of the particles; checking whether each of the particles intersects with the surface and proceeding to the next step for each particle where there is an intersection; checking whether each of the particles is captured by the surface and proceeding to the next step for each particle which is not captured by the surface; and determining a new direction and velocity for each particle; wherein the step of determining a new direction and velocity for each particle comprises the steps of: determining a coefficient of restitution; determining a momentum loss from the coefficient of restitution; determining a pre-impact kinetic energy; determining a post-impact kinetic energy; determining a coefficient of momentum transfer; determining a change in rotational momentum of each particle; updating the post-impact kinetic energy and rotational momentum of each particle; determining a post-impact velocity of each particle; determining a total momentum of each particle; determining a diffuseness of each particle; generating a diffuseness vector for each particle; determining a specular reflection vector; determining a post-impact reflection direction; and determining a reflection velocity vector wherein the step of determining a diffuseness of each particle comprises the steps of: inputting measurements of an apogee of each bounce of a plurality of particles bounded on a plate and time to reach the apogee; determining a velocity and a direction of each incoming particle; determining a velocity and a direction of each reflected particle; determining an angle between a specular reflection vector and an actual reflection vector; and determining diffuseness from the angle.