Numerical simulation of gas flow in porous structures of various geometries

Optimization of the porous material geometry is caused by engineering needs in reducing the value of the pressure drop in the gas or liquid flow through a complex structure. Computer models of porous media in various configurations are constructed, the pressure drop is calculated depending on the flow rate for the created models. The geometry of the packing of randomly located intersecting spheres gives a nonlinear change in pressure, whereas the ordered packing of spheres and the structure of randomly arranged cylinders and spheres yield results close to the Darcy model. For a model of randomly spaced spheres with the same porosity of the medium as for other models, the resistance coefficient has a maximum value, which is due to a multitude of channels of complex geometry that create additional flow resistance. The experimental data of the pressure drop calculation agree well with the results of the numerical simulation, which indicates the validity of using such models for studying hydrodynamics in highly porous cellular materials. A detailed study of the material structure influence on the hydrodynamic calculation using computer simulation will allow creating samples of porous media with improved characteristics. (paper)