Microstructure and transport properties of wet poly-disperse particle assemblies

Computational methodology for the realisation, characterisation, and calculation of effective transport properties of random close-packed structures of poly-disperse particles, partially saturated by wetting and non-wetting fluid, is described. The effective transport properties – thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and permeability – have been systematically obtained as function of phase volume fractions, mean pore diameter, primary particle shape, and wettability. Structure–property correlations for the estimation of the effective transport properties from the volume fractions of the solid, liquid, and gas phase have been established.