Hydrodynamics of two phase flow through homogeneous and stratified porous layers

An experimental investigation of two-phase flow through porous layers formed of nonheated glass particles has been made. The effect of particle size, particle size distribution, bed porosity and bed stratification on void fraction and pressure drop through particulate beds formed in a cylindrical and rectangular test section has been investigated. A model based on drift flux approach has been developed for the void fraction in homogeneous beds. Using the two phase friction pressure drop data, the relative permeabilities of the two phases have been concluded with void fraction. The void fraction and two-phase friction pressure gradient in beds composed of mixtures of spherical particles as well as sharps of different nominal sizes have also been examined. It is found that the models for single size particles are also applicable to mixtures of particles if a mean particle diameter for the mixture is defined. The observations in stratified beds indicate depletion or build up of voids at the interface between high and low permeability regions. Blocking of the flow into one of the layers of laterally stratified beds caused the pressures at different horizontal locations at the same bed height to be different from each other