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Linking Gas and Liquid Pressure Loss to Particle Size Distribution and Particle Shape in Granular Filter Materials

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Abstract

The cost efficiency of filtration is often associated with the filter flow velocity (V) and pressure loss (ΔP). Knowledge of the V − ΔP relationship for a given filter medium–fluid combination is therefore necessary when assessing operation costs. Liquid V − ΔP measurements are generally much more time-consuming than for gases, thus predicting liquid V − ΔP relationships from corresponding gas data is advantageous. The objective of this work was to identify the relationship between air and water pressure gradients during air and water flow in granular filter media. Three materials: crushed granite, gravel, and Leca® (an insulation material) with very different particle shapes were used. Twenty-one media with different particle size distributions were produced from each material (63 in total) and V − ΔP measurements carried out using air and water. The results showed that it is indeed possible to predict liquid V − ΔP relationships from corresponding gas V − ΔP measurements together with medium physical characteristics. A simple model concept for prediction was proposed. The results also indicated that it is possible to predict both gas and liquid V − ΔP relationships in coarse granular filter media based simply on knowledge about the particle size distribution and particle shape for the medium in question.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Aalborg University, Sohngaardsholmsvej 57, 9000, Aalborg, Denmark

    Lorenzo Pugliese

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong–Liverpool University, Suzhou, China

    Tjalfe G. Poulsen

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  1. Lorenzo Pugliese
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  2. Tjalfe G. Poulsen
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Correspondence to Lorenzo Pugliese.

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Pugliese, L., Poulsen, T.G. Linking Gas and Liquid Pressure Loss to Particle Size Distribution and Particle Shape in Granular Filter Materials. Water Air Soil Pollut 225, 1811 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-013-1811-y

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