Flow measurements in microporous media using micro-particle image velocimetry

An experimental study focused on the identification of the flow regimes and quantification of the velocity field at pore scale in microporous media is presented and discussed. Transparent porous media are fabricated by removing a pore forming agent in slightly sintered glass beads of size 50 mu m between two glass slides, leaving typical pores with a size of 500 mu m. Pressure-drop measurements and particle image velocimetry measurements are conducted simultaneously in order to evaluate the flow regimes and flow behaviors at pore size based Reynolds numbers from 0.1 to 140. Four different regimes, pre-Darcy, Darcy, Forchheimer, and turbulent, are found and presented. Spatial distribution and characteristics of the time-averaged velocity in all regimes and fluctuation intensity in transitional and turbulent regimes are investigated. Critical Reynolds numbers are identified using both velocity and pressure-drop measurements and the results agree very well, providing direct evidence underpinning the transition. The effects of porosity on these flow properties are also studied, and finally the flow regime boundaries are compared with the literature. These data provide an insight into the flow properties in microporous media with various porosities and an improved understanding that could be further utilized to enhance the flow and heat transfer performance of microporous media. It also demonstrates that velocity and pressure measurements used in combination can be an effective method for studying microporous media.