A simplified correlation for fixed bed pressure drop

An experimental study was conducted on the pressure drop characteristics of a variety of vertical packed beds in turbulent flow of air. The materials of different particle diameter, Dp, with a range of sphericity Φ, 0.55 ≤ Φ ≤ 1.00 were used in random loose packing to produce beds of different lengths, L, with a range of porosity, ε, 0.36 ≤ ε ≤ 0.56. In the covered test cases the cross-sectional velocity distribution at the exit plane of the packed beds and the pressure drop ΔPBed were measured in a particle Reynolds number range of Rep, 675 ≤ Rep ≤ 7772. The particular emphasis of the study was given to determine the influence of ε, Φ, Dp, L, Rep on ΔPBed. In this respect the measurements of ΔPBed were compared with the well-known Ergunʹs Equation and the data were expressed in terms of correlations through introduced dimensionless parameters of pressure coefficient, ΔP⁎ and exit Reynolds number Reexit. The proposed correlations of ΔP⁎ = ΔP⁎(εRepDp / L) and Reexit = Reexit(RepDp / L) are found to be appropriate for the determination of ΔPBed and mean exit velocity, U, respectively with an acceptable fit of experimental data in an error margin less than ± 20%. The methodology is presented in this paper as an alternative approach to the available literature on packed beds.