Modelling of multiphase flow in packed beds by computer-assisted x-ray tomography

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Abstract
The high resolution which can be obtained by computer-assisted x-ray tomography is used to investigate various scale heterogeneities of the flow texture characterizing multiphase flow in packed beds. The direct counting of `irrigated' pixels allows the determination of the number of individual liquid rivulets as well as their size. The evolution of the liquid flow texture versus the liquid velocity agrees quite well with the predictions of a percolation-based model. This agreement is further confirmed by the comparison of the experimental hold-up values averaged over the column cross-section with the theoretical model.