Predicted Pressure Drop Of GEK Filter with Various Diameters of Char (using the Er

Void Space (ε) 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4

Material Depth (L) [m] 0.23 0.23 0.23 0.23
Equiv. Spherical Diameter (Dp) [m] 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.005
Equiv. Spherical Diameter (Dp) [mm] 2 3 4 5
~1/4-1/8 sieved char
Ergun Equation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabri_Ergun)
Pressure Pressure Pressure Pressure
Superficial Drop Drop Drop Drop
Air Flow [m3/hr] Velocity [m/s] [inH2O] [inH2O] [inH2O] [inH2O]
5 0.044 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0
10 0.088 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.1
20 0.177 0.9 0.5 0.3 0.2
30 0.265 1.6 0.9 0.6 0.4
40 0.354 2.4 1.3 0.9 0.7
50 0.442 3.4 1.9 1.3 1.0
60 0.531 4.5 2.6 1.8 1.3
70 0.619 5.7 3.3 2.3 1.8
80 0.707 7.1 4.2 2.9 2.2
90 0.796 8.6 5.1 3.6 2.8
100 0.884 10.3 6.2 4.4 3.4

Constants
Fluid Density (ρ) 1.200 kg/m3
Dynamic Viscocity (μ) 1.862E-05 kg/m-s
Filter Inner Diameter 0.2 m
Bed Area 0.03141592654 m2

Note that at lower flow rates, this equation may not apply (i.e. when the Reynold's number approaches 10, an
We are using density and dynamic viscocity values for air, if/when better general values for gas are available,

Gas Viscocity Density

Air (25°C) 1.862E-05 kg/m-s 1.200 kg/m3
Air (25°C) 1.811E-05 kg/m-s 1.187 kg/m3 From http://users.wpi.edu/~
Air (50°C) 1.928E-05 kg/m-s 1.095 kg/m3 From http://users.wpi.edu/~
Air (100°C) 2.149E-05 kg/m-s 0.948 kg/m3 From http://users.wpi.edu/~
Nat Gas (25°C, SG=1) 1.040E-05 kg/m-s 1.200 kg/m3
HC Vapor (25°C) 1.040E-05 kg/m-s - kg/m3
Hydrogen (25°C) 8.849E-06 kg/m-s 0.090 kg/m3 (0°C)
CO (25°C) 1.767E-05 kg/m-s 1.145 kg/m3
CO2 (25°C) 1.504E-05 kg/m-s 1.980 kg/m3
N2 (25°C) 1.770E-05 kg/m-s 1.251 kg/m3
From http://www.lmnoeng.com/Flow/GasViscosity.htm
Sourced from wikipedia
of Char (using the Ergun equation)

0.4 <-note that void space plays a very large role in the pressure drop
0.23
0.006
6 Predicted Pressure Drop Of GEK Filter with Various Diameters of Char (using the
Ergun equation)

5.0
Pressure
Drop
[inH2O]
0.0
4.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
Pressure Drop [inH2O]

0.5
3.0 2 mm
0.8
3 mm
1.1
4 mm
1.4
5 mm
1.8
2.0 6 mm
2.2
2.7

1.0

0.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Gas (Air) Flow [m3/hr]

umber approaches 10, and laminar flow occurs)

ues for gas are available, they should be used.

om http://users.wpi.edu/~ierardi/FireTools/air_prop.html
om http://users.wpi.edu/~ierardi/FireTools/air_prop.html
om http://users.wpi.edu/~ierardi/FireTools/air_prop.html
Char (using the

2 mm
3 mm
4 mm
5 mm
6 mm

100
Sensitivity Analysis of the Ergun Equation
Percentage
Change in Value(+ Ergun(+)
Base Case Values ) Value(-) [inH2O]
No Change - - - - 0.14
Void Space (ε) 0.38 10% 0.418 0.342 0.10
Material Depth (L) [m] 0.23 10% 0.253 0.207 0.16
Equiv. Spherical Diameter (Dp) [m] 0.004 10% 0.0044 0.0036 0.12
Air (Gas) Flow [m3/hr] 10 10% 11 9 0.16
Filter Inner Diameter [m] 0.2 10% 0.22 0.18 0.11
Bed Area [m2] 0.0314159 10% 0.03456 0.02827 0.13
Superficial Velocity [m/s] 0.088 10% 0.09726 0.07958 0.16
Fluid Density (ρ) [kg/m3] 1.200 10% 1.32 1.08 0.15
Dynamic Viscocity (μ) [kg/m-s] 1.862E-05 10% 2E-05 2E-05 0.15
Ergun(-) Range
[inH2O] [inH2O] +% -%
0.14
0.22 0.12 -32% 52%
0.13 0.03 10% -10%
0.17 0.05 -15% 20%
0.12 0.04 13% -13%
0.19 0.08 -22% 32%
0.16 0.04 -12% 15%
0.12 0.04 13% -13%
0.14 0.01 3% -3%
0.13 0.02 7% -7%
 Ex #1 Ex #2 Ex #3 Ex #4
Date 2/2/09 2/3/09 2/3/09 2/3/09
1/4-1/8" 1/4-1/8" 1/4-1/8" 1/4-1/8"
Material mesh char mesh char mesh char mesh char
Void Space (ε) 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4
Material Depth (L) [m] 0.231 0.231 0.131 0.081
Equiv. Spherical Diameter (Dp) [m] 0.003 0.003 0.003 0.003

Pressure Pressure Pressure Pressure

Superficial Velocity Drop Drop Drop Drop
Air Flow [lpm] [m/s] [cmH2O] [cmH2O] [cmH2O] [cmH2O]
100 0.053 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.3
200 0.106 1.0 1.0 0.7 0.7
300 0.159 2.0 2.0 1.6 1.5
400 0.212 3.5 3.5 3.2 2.7
500 0.265 5.2 5.2 4.7 4.2

Account for Apparatus Pressure Drop (subtract Ex #4), Convert to Pascals

Superficial Velocity Pressure Pressure Pressure Pressure

Air Flow [lpm] [m/s] Drop [Pa] Drop [Pa] Drop [Pa] Drop [Pa]
100 0.053 19.6 9.8 0.0 9.8
200 0.106 58.8 58.8 29.4 29.4
300 0.159 98.1 98.1 58.8 49.0
400 0.212 166.7 166.7 137.3 88.3
500 0.265 215.7 215.7 166.7 117.7

Prediction via Ergun Equation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabri_Ergun)

Superficial Velocity Pressure Pressure Pressure Pressure
Air Flow [lpm] [m/s] Drop [Pa] Drop [Pa] Drop [Pa] Drop [Pa]
100 0.053 27.0 27.0 15.3 9.5
200 0.106 62.6 62.6 35.5 22.0
300 0.159 106.7 106.7 60.5 37.4
400 0.212 159.4 159.4 90.4 55.9
500 0.265 220.6 220.6 125.1 77.3

Measured vs. Ergun Stats

Fitted Slope 1.03142986 1.06799504 1.606640753 1.62126096
Correlation 0.99727394 0.99620163 0.986248058 0.9970081
Relative Error
100 lpm 37.9% 175.8% 0.0% 3.3%
200 lpm 6.4% 6.4% 20.7% 25.4%
300 lpm 8.9% 8.9% 2.9% 23.7%
400 lpm 4.4% 4.4% 34.2% 36.7%
500 lpm 2.2% 2.2% 25.0% 34.3%

Constants
Fluid Density (ρ) 1.2 kg/m3 (air @ STP)
Dynamic Viscocity ( 1.983E-05 kg/m-s
Filter Inner Diameter 0.2 m
Bed Area 0.0314159265359 m2

Notes
The Ergun Equation likely applies in cases where the Reynold's number is >10 (below which laminar flow occur
Char produced by sieving through wire mesh.

Measured Void Space (lower bound)

1/4-1/8" mesh char 0.38
1/8-1/16" char 0.28
The void fraction for the charcoal was determined by wetting charcoal in a container, placing 250 mL of the mi
Ex #5 Ex #6
2/3/09 2/3/09
1/8-1/16"
none char Measured vs. Predi
- 0.4
0 0.111 350.0
- 0.0016

Pressure Pressure 300.0

Drop Drop
[cmH2O] [cmH2O]
0.2 0.7 250.0
0.4 1.4

Pressure Drop [Pa]

1.0 2.8
1.8 4.3 200.0
3.0 6.0

150.0
Reynold's Reynold's
Number for Number for
Pressure Pressure 1/4-1/8" 1/8-1/16" 100.0
Drop [Pa] Drop [Pa] char char
0.0 49.0 16.1 8.6
0.0 98.1 32.1 17.1 50.0
0.0 176.5 48.2 25.7
0.0 245.2 64.2 34.2
0.0 294.2 80.3 42.8 0.0
50 100 150 200 250 300 3

Air Flow [lpm

Pressure Pressure
Drop [Pa] Drop [Pa]
0.0 42.3
0.0 92.4
0.0 150.1
0.0 215.5
0.0 288.5

n/a 1.02898383
n/a 0.99315437

- 13.7%
- 5.8%
- 15.0%
- 12.1%
- 1.9%
which laminar flow occurs). At lower flow rates the Reynold's number approaches this limit, so the equation may not hold

placing 250 mL of the mixture in a graduated cylinder and topping with water. The volume of water quickly drained (~30s
Measured vs. Predicted Pressure Drop

Column C
Column E
Column F
Column H
Column C
Column E
Column F
Column H

50 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550

Air Flow [lpm]

he equation may not hold.

er quickly drained (~30s) was considered the void volume. Void Space = Void Volume/Total Volume.