Provisional title. Study of the permeability of packed beds in viscous and inertial regimes
Topic and Motivation. A packed granular bed resists fluid flow, resulting in a pressure drop. Quantifying this pressure drop can provide insights into the bed's structure (particle size and shape, size distribution, porosity, tortuosity). These insights are encapsulated in the so-called permeability coefficient, but its full characterization is still not completely understood. The work will mainly be conducted at the APTLab granular solids laboratory of the DII.
Activities. This thesis involves predominantly experimental work, with the possibility of theoretical-modeling integration. The plan includes measuring pressure losses in appropriately packed granular beds and estimating two permeability coefficients: one in the viscous regime (low fluid velocity) and the other in the inertial regime (high fluid velocity). These coefficients will be correlated with the properties of the particles and the packed bed. Additionally, image analysis techniques will be used to characterize the particles.
Supervision: Prof. Santomaso
Period: To be determined