Choice of Efficient Linear Scale and Generalized Description of Internal Heat Transfer Coefficient in Porous Structures

Abstract

The expedience of using the ratio of inertial β and viscous α hydraulic coefficients of a fluid flow in porous structures as the characteristic linear scale, when generalizing the experimental data on internal heat transfer in porous media, is shown. It is demonstrated that the correlation Nu = A · Pe, with both criteria based on β/α ratio, most efficiently describes the experimental data for a wide set of ordered and disordered porous structures, including sintered spheres, network materials, sintered felt and cellular foams of high porosity. The coefficient A depends on porosity and is equal to 0.004 for spheres, networks and felts, and 0.0004 for foams. For any specific case the values of α and β coefficients can be readily obtained from testing materials under consideration, control samples, or full-scale articles.