A computational evaluation of flow through porous media
Date
2007-12
Authors
Molale, Dimpho Millicent
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
The understanding and quantitative description of fluid flowthrough porousmedia,
is a science which has been going on for many years and investigated in a
variety of disciplines. Studies in this field have primarily been based on models,
which can either be described as empirical or theoretical. Part of the current
study is to understand fluid flow in porous media through studying three recent
theoretical pore-scale models based on the concept of a Representative Unit Cell
(RUC), to represent a porous medium. Amongst other assumptions, these models
assumed plane Poiseuille flow throughout each pore section of a rectangular
RUC. The main objective of this study is to numerically verify this assumption
using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, FLUENT version 6.2.16.
Attention is also paid to comparison between these models with the experimental
data, obtained during the model tests of airflow through a timber stack end,
undertaken in a wind tunnel. The laminar and intermediate airflow through a
timber stack end is simulated using the commercial software FLUENT, and the
results are validated against the theoretical pore-scale models and experimental
data. Two turbulence models which are, the Standard k − e and Reynolds-Stress
models are used in these computations, the aimbeing to determine howwell they
are able to reproduce the experimental data. The numerical results are in good
agreement with one of the theoretical models presented and the experimental
data.
Description
Thesis (MSc (Mathematical Sciences. Applied Mathematics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Applied mathematics, Theses -- Applied mathematics, Fluid dynamics -- Mathematical models, Computational fluid dynamics, Fluid dynamic measurements, Porous materials