Pore-to-mesoscale network modeling of heat transfer and fluid flow in packed beds with application to process design

A dual-network model (DNM) representing the topological characteristics of both the pore space and solid fraction of a packed bed was developed to study coupled incompressible water flow and heat transport from the pore-scale to mesoscale (μm-cm) with the consideration of temperature-dependent fluid viscosity. The DNM was validated and used to study the temperature and velocity at the pore scale and their effects on fluid flow and heat transfer. Then the pore volume of the DNM was varied to illustrate the effect of bed porosity on transport processes, quantifying the trade-off between flow conditions and heat transfer. This work demonstrates the ability of the DNM to simulate pore-scale fluid flow and heat transfer simultaneously, which can then be averaged over the entire simulation domain to approximate meso/macroscopic parameters efficiently in relation to the pore geometry.