Micro-Scale Deformation Measurement of Internal Planes via Digital Image Correlation in Deformable Porous Media
Experimental Analysis of Entrance Effects in Low Reynolds Flow in Porous Media
The topic of this research concerns the experimentally observed influences of the developmental effects in a rigid porous media.
A test rig has been constructed that accurately measures the pressure drop across the media and the corresponding average bulk flow velocity. The porous media has been developed using a 3D printer so that the pore geometries are uniform throughout the media. The fluid is a mixture of glycerol and water for which the viscosity is varied.
Measurements of the global pressure drop versus bulk flow rate have been made over a range of Re in which the overall length of the porous media (in the direction of flow) has been varied. Because all tests have been conducted at low Re (and thus within the Darcy regime) comparisons of experimentally determined permeability between the overall media lengths provide insight into the non linear component of pressure drop that occur within the developing region.
The effect of material and geometric properties of Deformable porous media on permeability
The subject of this study concerns viscous flow through an elastic porous material for which the solid matrix is capable of experiencing deformation under the influence of the flow field.
The inherent challenges associated with developing experimental testing of flow in deformable porous media are largely related to the fabrication of a deformable matrix. In this study a method of media fabrication is presented that uses an indirect solid freeform fabrication process combining 3D Printing with an infused Polydimethylsiloxane elastomer. This allows for the precise control of the matrix parameters: elasticity and pore geometry.
The conjugate flow-media behavior is then observed in an experimental test rig which captures the global flow behavior, the local matrix deformation, and the onset of the deviation from Darcy flow at low Re. The experimental data is presented such that the results can be used for numerical validation. Dimensionless combinations of parameters are considered in the prediction of the point of deviation from Darcy flow at low Re and confirmed from the experimental data.