Heat and mass transfer in granular potash fertilizer with a surface dissolution reaction

Abstract

Abstract Potash is a widely used granular fertilizer and when exposed to high humidities it readily adsorbs water vapour forming a liquid electrolyte solution on each particle. Heat and mass transfer due to air flow through granular potash beds is studied experimentally and numerically. A one dimensional experimental setup is used to measure the temperature and air humidity response and mass gain of a potash bed subjected to a change in air flow. A porous media mathematical model is developed to predict the transient temperature and moisture content distributions. The processes are modelled as nonequilibrium heat and mass transfers between the porous solid and air flow gaseous phases. The state of the surface electrolyte solution is modelled by the thermodynamics of electrolyte solutions. Experimental and numerical results show non‐equilibrium internal moisture and heat transfer processes exist with significant differences in the pore air and particle temperature and surface relative humidity.