Simulation and characterization of high porosity media for aerosol particle processing – a numerical study

Processes involving suspensions flow occur in many natural, biological, and industrial systems. Examples also include the production of many advanced materials, such as semiconductors, and new product formulations with importance in pharmaceutical and medical applications. In certain tasks microchannels and porous media are used to promote a rapid mixing of aerosol streams to produce more uniform dispersions and coatings. A major concern for industrial use is caused by the fact that the aerosol particles deposit onto the solid structure of channels and this must be controlled to avoid clogging. We report a study of the application of high-porosity media for the generation of uniform flow suspensions. Two key quantities were used to characterize the process: particle losses (deposition)within the porous medium and residence time distribution of the particles. This study clearly demonstrates that the geometric characteristics of the porous media, the fluid velocity, fluid viscosity, and particle size should be controlled in order to get more uniform dispersions and prevent the unwanted particle loss