Radial Dispersion in Liquid Upflow through Solid SiC Foams

The radial dispersion process of an inert tracer in an upward liquid flow (superficial velocity from 3 × 10−3 to 13 × 10−3 m·s−1) through high-porosity (0.85 and 0.90 void fractions) solid foam samples of various lengths (6−15 cm) has been investigated. As in a standard packed bed the radial Peclet number based on the “cell diameter” is found to be of the order of 10 when the process is governed by mechanical dispersion. The results are in agreement with the flow contribution to the effective radial heat conductivity measured independently on the same type of foams.