FLOW OF RAREFIED GASES THROUGH PACKED BEDS OF PARTICLES

抄録

An analytical expression for the permeability of gases through packed beds of spherical particles in the Knudsen region is obtained from the kinetic theory of gases by using the two-sided Maxwellian velocity distribution functions and Maxwell''s transport equation.
The results of the theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the experimental results for beds of spherical particles and also for beds of nonspherical particles, if the equivalent diameters of the particles are properly determined.
For other regions, it was found convenient to introduce the Knudsen number, defined as the ratio of the number of molecule-particle collisions to that of intermolecular collisions. By using this Knudsen number, the mechanisms of flow of gases through packed beds can be successfully classified just as are those for circular tubes.