Digital Twins for Image Analysis of Granular Media
Abstract
Industrial processes involving granular media (population of particles: powders, crystals...) are numerous and present in various industrial contexts (pharmaceuticals, nuclear, materials, agronomy, etc.). The geometric characterization of such particles has always been an issue. For this purpose, the acquisition of 2-D images allows a direct visualization of the projected particles that needs to be exploited. One of the major problems is the overlapping of particles, a consequence of the projected view. From such data, advanced image processing and analysis methods can be used to individualize and characterize particles (size, shape, spatial dispersion, etc.). However, these methods are not very effective when the granular medium is dense.
To overcome this limitation, methods based on random (or stochastic) geometry provide tools to model and characterize these images of granular media. Digital twins of granular media are then defined: synthetic images are simulated and statistically fitted to real data. The morphological characterization of the particles is then indirectly accessible. These different advanced methods of image analysis and random geometry therefore provide tools for characterizing the morphology of granular media. The methods will be particularly illustrated on real applications of multiphase flow processes. Current works with machine learning techniques will be also discussed.
Short Biography
Prof. Johan Debayle is a Full Professor at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Etienne (MINES Saint-Etienne) in France, within the SPIN Center and the LGF Laboratory, UMR CNRS 5307, where he leads a research group interested in image analysis of granular media. His research interests include image processing and analysis, pattern recognition and stochastic geometry. He is Associate Editor for 5 international journals: Pattern Analysis and Applications (Springer), Journal of Electronic Imaging (SPIE), Pattern Recognition Letters (Elsevier), Journal of Imaging (MDPI) and Image Analysis and Stereology (ISSIA). He is the General Chair of the International Conferences ISIVC’ 2020, ECSIA’ 2021, ICIVP’ 2021 and ICPRS’ 2022. He is Member of SPIE, ISSIA, IAPR, Member of the Executive Board of AFRIF (IAPR France Section), Senior Member of IEEE and Vice-President Membership for the IEEE France Section.