Thermal conductivity of packed beds

Abstract

Abstract A correlation has been developed to predict the thermal conductivity of packed beds for various conditions of pressure, temperature, and particle size. The correlation takes into account the reduction in thermal conductivity of the gas phase at lower pressures when the mean free path of the gas molecules is of the same order as the distance between particles which are effective in transferring heat. Radiation becomes significant for large particles and high temperatures. A new relationship for the radiation contribution to the thermal conductivity of packed beds has been developed.