Analysis of Variable Porosity, Thermal Dispersion, and Local Thermal Nonequilibrium on Free Surface Flows Through Porous Media

Abstract

Characteristics of momentum and energy transport for free surface flows through porous media are explored in this study. Effects of variable porosity and an impermeable boundary on the free surface front are analyzed. In addition, effects of thermal dispersion and local thermal nonequilibrium (LTNE) are also analyzed. Pertinent parameters such as porosity, Darcy number, inertia parameter, Reynolds number, particle diameter, and solid-to-fluid conductivity ratio are used to investigate the significance of the above mentioned effects. Results show that considering the effect of variable porosity is significant only in the neighborhood of the solid boundary. The range of parameters which enhance the dispersion and LTNE effects are prescribed. Finally, it is shown that adding the effect of thermal dispersion to LTNE increases the sensitivity of LTNE between the two phases.