Characteristics of flow through randomly packed impermeable and permeable particles using pore resolved simulations

• Published in: Chemical engineering science 2020-12, Vol.228, p.115969, Article 115969
• Main Authors: Ramanuj, Vimal, Starchenko, Vitalii, Sankaran, Ramanan, Kidder, Michelle K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dual porosity; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Permeability; Porous media; Random packing
• ISSN: 0009-2509; 1873-4405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2020.115969

[Display omitted] •Heterogeneity in porosity distribution leads to deviation of permeability from model predictions.•Wake formation in loosely packed structures causes deterioration of reactive surface area.•Surface area effectiveness improves with increase in particle permeability. Pore resolved simulations are performed to study the mean flow characteristics in porous media formed by random distribution of impermeable and permeable particles. Permeability of the medium and reactive surface areas are analyzed for a range of solid fractions, packing patterns and flow rates. The results are compared with models presented in the literature and with simulations of flow through ordered packings. Permeability of a randomly packed porous medium is found to depend on the heterogeneous distribution of porosity which results from particle agglomeration and is typically ignored by simpler models. The reactive surface area is dependent on the flow field at pore scale in addition to geometry. Moreover, the wake formed downstream of the particles at moderately high flow rates also affects the reactive surface area. Similar analysis is also performed by assuming particles to be permeable to account for dual scale porosity relevant for various engineering applications.