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The effect of non‐uniform porosity in causing flow maldistributions in isothermal packed beds
Author(s) -
Stanek V.,
Szekely J.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450500103
Subject(s) - packed bed , porosity , mechanics , compressibility , isothermal process , materials science , flow (mathematics) , void (composites) , thermodynamics , porous medium , work (physics) , geotechnical engineering , geology , chemistry , chromatography , composite material , physics
A formulation is developed for the flow of an incompressible fluid through a two dimensional packed bed having a spatially variable void fraction, through the statement of the Ergun Equation in a two dimensional system. Computed results are presented for particular spatially distributed void fractions in the bed, which indicate that a lateral variation in the resistance to flow may cause appreciable flow maldistribution and “cross flow” effects. This work is thought to be a first, necessary step in the quantitative understanding of channeling and by‐pass phenomena in packed bed reactors.