Drag Coefficient

Drag is the force offered by the liquid on the solid in the direction of flow. This drag is the
function of the resistive force offered by the dynamic liquid and dynamic gas on their interaction
and also resistive force offered by the stationary solid phase. The drag coefficient is related to the
pressure drop over a bed of particles. Drag coefficient should be applicable to a bed with a
voidage ranging from the packed bed condition to the fully expanded state. Under turbulent flow
conditions the dominant contribution to energy dissipation in a bed of particles comes from the
numerous expansions and contractions of the fluid streams in their passage around the particles.
As fluid streams do not follow the surface of the particles strictly in the turbulent regime, we
believe that in this regime the surface structure does not influence the energy dissipation. The
large discrepancy between measured and predicted pressure drops can be elucidated by
considering the drag force on a single particle in the bed. the drag coefficient of packed bed
might be inuenced by wall effects.
A good measure for this drag force is the drag coefficient Cd. This drag coefficient can be related
to the pressure drop P per unit bed height
Drag coefficient can be determined by
3

Drag coefficient

CD

4 P Dp
2
3 L V s(1 )

It is observed that the drag coefficient decrease as the Reynolds no. Increases the drag coefficient
decreases sharply for the particular value of Reynolds no. and then its stay almost constant.

0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
Drag coefficient

0.01

L=0.03m/s

0
0
0
100

200

300

400

500

Reynolds number

600

700

Fig.- Effect of Reynolds no. on drag coefficient