Applicability of linearized Dusty Gas model for multicomponent diffusion of gas mixtures in porous solids

Abstract

The transport of gaseous components through porous media could be described according to the well-known Fick model and its modifications. It is also known that Fick's law is not suitable for predicting the fluxes in multicomponent gas mixtures, excluding binary mixtures. This model is still frequently used in chemical engineering because of its simplicity. Unfortunately, besides the Fick's model there is no generally accepted model for mass transport through porous media (membranes, catalysts etc). Numerous studies on transport through porous media reveal that Dusty Gas Model (DGM) is superior in its ability to predict fluxes in multicomponent mixtures. Its wider application is limited bv more complicated calculation procedures comparing to Fick's model. It should be noted that there were efforts to simplify DGM in order to obtain satisfactory accurate results. In this paper linearized DGM, as the simplest form of DGM, is tested under conditions of zero system pressure drop, small pressure drop, and different temperatures. Published experimental data are used in testing the accuracy of the linearized procedure. It is shown that this simplified procedure is accurate enough compared to the standard more complicated calculations.