Validation of CFD Simulations Using the Darcy-Forchheimer Model Against Experimental Data for Bag Filters
Congress: ENCIT
ABSTRACT:
The bag filter is an essential component in various industrial operations, used for the removal of solid particles. These particles can vary in size and composition, often being pollutants or waste that need to be controlled to ensure air quality, worker safety, and compliance with environmental regulations. Proper management of pressure drop in the system is necessary for bag filters to function correctly; otherwise, proper filtration will not occur. Therefore, understanding and quantifying pressure drop in filtration is essential to ensure its effectiveness. However, measuring and evaluating pressure drop in bag filters pose complex challenges, especially due to their use in large assemblies within the same system and the accumulation of dust, which can lead to clogging. Therefore, it is necessary to use an effective methodology that allows for an efficient understanding of pressure drop in these filters. Thus, the main objective of this work was to validate the use of the Darcy-Forchheimer model in a CFD analysis of bag filters, comparing the pressure drop results with experimental data from a reference study. To compare these data, the geometry and conditions of the experimental study were replicated in the CFD analysis, with the same inlet flow and outlet pressure parameters. A mesh convergence analysis was also performed using the GCI method. The analysis was conducted with single-phase, incompressible, steady, fully developed, and isothermal flow for different air speeds. Different turbulence models were evaluated to verify which one best represented the flow characteristics. The fundamental equations governing the flow were numerically solved using the OpenFOAM software. The different pressure drop data obtained from the analysis were compared with experimental data. Altogether, it was found that the pressure drop values compared to the experimental measurements validated the model, demonstrating a similar trend with increasing velocities. Additionally, a variation in the pressure field along the length of the filter was observed. Thereupon, the effectiveness of the methodology in quantifying and analyzing pressure drop in bag filters was demonstrated.