A diffusivity model for gas diffusion through fractal porous media

Abstract A fractal model for gas diffusivity in porous media is derived by using fractal theory and by considering rarefied gas effect in micro-/nano-channels/capillaries. The proposed gas diffusivity model is expressed as a function of micro-structural parameters (the fractal dimensions for pore area and for tortuosity of tortuous capillaries, porosity and pore sizes) of porous media. The effects of parameters such as porosity, microstructures of porous media and fractal dimensions on gas diffusivity are analyzed. The effective diffusivities predicted by the present fractal model are compared with the available experimental data, and a fair agreement between them is found when porosity is less than about 0.70.