Slow non-Newtonian flow through packed beds: effect of zero shear viscosity

Abstract

The slow non-Newtonian (inelastic) flow through packed beds of mono-size spherical particles has been simulated by solving the equations of motion numerically. The inter-particle interactions have been modelled by using a simple cell model. Theoretical estimates of pressure, friction and total drag coefficients as function of the pertinent physical (l≥n≥ 0.2; 0.3 ≤ e ≤ 0.5) and kinematic parameters (0.01 ≥ '≥ 100) for a fixed value of Reynolds number {Re = 0.001) have been obtained. The theoretical predictions reported herein have been validated using the suitable experimental results available in the literature, and the importance of including the zero shear viscosity in analyses for the creeping flow problems is convincingly demonstrated.