CHAPTER 4

Flow of Fluids through Granular Beds and Packed Columns

4.2. FLOW OF A SINGLE FLUID THROUGH A GRANULAR BED
4.2.1. Darcy’s law and permeability
Darcy’s law, has subsequently been confirmed by a number of workers and can be
written as follows:
4.2.2. Specific surface and voidage

Some values of S and e for different beds of particles are listed in Table 4.1. Values of e
much higher than those shown in Table 4.1, sometimes up to about 0.95, are possible
in beds of fibres and some ring packings. For a given shape of particle, S increases as
the particle size is reduced, as shown in Table 4.1. As e is increased, flow through the
bed becomes easier and so the permeability coefficient B increases. If the particles are
randomly packed, then e should be approximately constant throughout the bed and the
resistance to flow the same in all directions. Often near containing walls, e is higher,
and corrections for this should be made if the particle size is a significant fraction of the
size of the containing vessel.
4.2.3. General expressions for flow through beds in terms of Carman–
Kozeny equations

Streamline flow—Carman–Kozeny equation

The values of K’’ for various shapes can be shown in the following figure:
ERGUN obtained a good semi-empirical correlation for pressure drop
as follows:

This equation is plotted as curve C in Figure 4.1. The form of equation 4.21 is
somewhat similar to that of equations 4.16 and 4.19, in that the first term represents
viscous losses which are most significant at low velocities and the second term
represents kinetic energy losses which become more significant at high velocities.
4.5. PACKED COLUMNS
4.5.2. Packings
4.5.3. Fluid flow in packed columns
Pressure drop:
It is important to be able to predict the drop in pressure for the flow of the two fluid
streams through a packed column. Earlier in this chapter the drop in pressure arising
from the flow of a single phase through granular beds is considered and the same
general form of approach is usefully adopted for the flow of two fluids through packed
columns. ROSE and YOUNG correlated their experimental pressure drop data for
Raschig rings by the following equation:

Vacuum Distillation:
 Chapter 4 Problems

Notes:
1) S=surface area/volume=4/d (cylindrical pellets)
2) You can assume ideal gas and calculate the density using the inlet conditions
 PROBLEM 4.2

Two heat-sensitive organic liquids of an average molecular mass of 155 kg/kmol are to
be separated by vacuum distillation in a 100 mm diameter column packed with 6 mm
stoneware Raschig rings. The number of theoretical plates required is 16 and it has
been found that the HETP is 150 mm. If the product rate is 5 g/s at a reflux ratio of 8,
calculate the pressure in the condenser so that the temperature in the still does not
exceed 395 K (equivalent to a pressure of 8 kN/m2). It may be assumed that a = 800
m2/m3, μ = 0.02 mNs/m2, e = 0.72 and that the temperature changes and the
correction for liquid flow may be neglected.

Solution
See Volume 2, Example 4.1.

PROBLEM 4.3
A column 0.6 m diameter and 4 m high is, packed with 25 mm ceramic Raschig rings
and used in a gas absorption process carried out at 101.3 kN/m2 and 293 K. If the liquid
and gas properties approximate to those of water and air respectively and their
flowrates are 2.5 and 0.6 kg/m2s, what is the pressure drop across the column? In
making calculations, Carman’s method should be used.

Solution
See the next page
 PROBLEM 4.4

A packed column, 1.2 m in diameter and 9 m tall, is packed with 25 mm Raschig

rings, and used for the vacuum distillation of a mixture of isomers of molecular mass
155 kg/kmol. The mean temperature is 373 K, the pressure at the top of the column is
maintained at 0.13 kN/m2 and the still pressure is 1.3–3.3 kN/m2. Obtain an expression
for the pressure drop on the assumption that this is not appreciably affected by the
liquid flow and may be calculated using a modified form of Carman’s equation. Show
that, over the range of operating pressures used, the pressure drop is approximately
directly proportional to the mass rate of flow rate of vapour, and calculate the pressure
drop at a vapour rate of 0.125 kg/m2. The specific surface of packing, S = 190 m2/m3,
the mean voidage of bed, e = 0.71, the viscosity of vapour, μ = 0.018 mNs/m2 and the
molecular volume = 22.4 m3/kmol.

Solution
See the next page