Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Pressure Drop in Periodic Open Cellular Structures for Intensification of Catalytic Processes

Abstract

Periodic Open Cellular Structures are envisioned as potential enhanced catalyst substrates for heat and mass transfer-limited processes. To enable their rational design, in this study, we propose a combined numerical and experimental approach to assess the pressure drop in the tetrakaidekahedral and diamond lattices since generalized correlations are not present in the literature. Deviations are observed between the model predictions available in the literature, which are possibly due to the different methods of investigation, that is, numerical on ideal geometries and experimental on reproductions. To reconcile the two approaches and prevent discrepancies, careful attention is paid here to the quality of 3D-printed replicas for experimental investigation to obtain results representative of ideal lattices. Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations and experiments are then employed together to cross-validate the results and then to perform a parametric analysis of the effect of the morphological properties on the pressure drop. The effect of the cell size and the porosity are discussed, enabling the derivation of engineering correlations for the prediction of the pressure drop across the lattices within the range of 1 < Reds < 300. Finally, the performances of lattice materials are compared with those of conventional structured supports by evaluating the trade-off between the fluid–solid mass transfer rate and the pressure drop, which is crucial for several catalytic processes. Results show that the diamond lattice outperforms other cellular materials and can outperform ceramic honeycomb monoliths at low Reynolds numbers.