(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-05)
Landrum, E. C.; Conrad, T. J.; Pathak, M. G.; Ghiaasiaan, S. Mostafa; Kirkconnell, Carl Scott; Crittenden, Thomas M.; Yorish, S.
An experimental investigation was carried out to determine the effect of frequency on the porous media hydrodynamic closure relations for steady periodic flow. Using room temperature helium as the working fluid, stacked discs of #635 stainless steel and #325 phosphor bronze wire meshes were subjected to an oscillatory flow field. Dynamic pressure transducers recorded waveforms upstream and downstream of the porous section at charge pressures of 2.86 and 3.55 MPa. Tests were performed in the axial direction at frequencies ranging from 50 to 200 Hz. Hydrodynamic parameters were determined using a CFD-assisted methodology. The experimental test section and its vicinity were simulated using the Fluent code and mesh fillers were modeled as a porous structure. Model porous media hydrodynamic parameters were iteratively adjusted to match the model predictions to the experimental results. Directional resistances related to the Darcy permeability and Forchheimer’s inertial coefficients were obtained at discrete frequencies and errors were quantified. The experimental results indicate that Forchheimer’s inertial coefficient may depend rather strongly on frequency. More detailed experiments are needed to ascertain the observed trends.