Low peclet number particle-to-fluid heat and mass transfer in packed beds

For low Peclet numbers most of the experimentally obtained particle-to-fluid heat and mass transfer coefficients in packed beds were found to be some orders of magnitude below the values predicted for a single sphere in cross flow.From theoretical considerations one should expect the transfer coefficients in packed beds to exceed the single sphere predictions as they actually do for higher Peclet numbers.The obvious discrepancy between theory and experiment can be cxplained by a simple model accounting for a nonuniform distribution of the void fraction. The model consists of a packed bed of uniformly sized particles with an average void fraction ψ, where a small part ? of the total cross-sectional area f is assumed to have a larger void fraction ψ₂. Since the same pressure drop applies to both parts of the bed, the superficial velocity will be much larger in the section with the larger void fraction, especially in the range of low Reynolds numbers.Even though in both parts of the packed bed the individual transfer coefficients are taken from a correlation which is based on the single sphere predictions (as it is valid in the range of high Peclet numbers), the apparent overall transfer coefficients for the nonuniform system become much lower, and show the same characteristic variation with Peclet number and the ratio of particle diameter to bed height as the majority of the experimental data.