TY - JOUR
TI - Adapting the Forchheimer equation for the flow of air through wheat straw beds
AU - Doder Đorđije D
AU - Miljković Biljana M
AU - Stepanov Borivoj Lj
AU - Pešenjanski Ivan K
JN - Thermal Science
PY - 2016
VL - 20
IS - 12
SP - 463
EP - 470
PT - Article
AB - The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of air  pressure drop while flowing through wheat straw beds. According to Darcy’s  law, the smaller the porosity of the bed is, the bigger the pressure drop  will be. The investigation was conducted using three different porosities (or  three bed densities), and for two different air flow rates. After determining  porosity (which is directly measurable), the permeability of straw could be  found. For high flow velocities, such as the velocity of air flowing through  a straw bale, the Forchheimer equation becomes more relevant as a correction  of Darcy’s law with inertial effects included. Otherwise, the permeability  tensor depends only on the geometry of the porous medium. With permeability  known, the Forchheimer equation coefficients can be easily estimated. These  results may be important for the future development of efficient biomass  combustion facilities. The measurement methods and facility characteristics  are described in more detail.