Venna Jasinski and Carreon of the University of Louisville h

Venna, Jasinski, and Carreon of the University of Louisville have pioneered the synthesis and characterization of the zeolitic imidazolate framework, ZIF-8. Tatarko and Willing have studied the heat transfer and adsorption properties of this meso-particle. A picture of the molecule is shown. It is suspected that the total surface area of this molecule is 1300 m^2/gram and the density of this molecule is 1490 kg/m^3. It has been proposed to use this molecule in an adsorption column to capture sour-gas components from Texas natural gas. The column proposed has a diameter of 3 m. and a height of 10 m. Experiments have shown that the void fraction epsilon, in this column packed with ZIF-8 is equal to 0.375. Calculate the total mass of ZIF-8 in this column. A young engineer has measured the velocity of the natural gas through the empty column at 2.0 ft./s. Calculate the channel velocity in the full column. In addition, explain the concept of tortuosity in terms of compressible fluid-flow phenomena.

Solution

Ans

Density of the molecule(d)= 1490Kg/m3

Radius of the column (r) = 3/2 m

Height of the column(h)=10m

The mass of the column M= density (d) X volume (\\pi r² h) X void fraction

Hence M= 1490 X 3.1415 X (3/2)^2 X 10X 0.375=39495.71 Kg

Channel Velocity

Vd= Darcy velocity = 2 ft/s & void fraction \\epsilon= 0.375

So the required Velocity Vs= 0.375 XVd = 0.75 ft/s

Tortuosity

This term is used to explain how fluid diffuses in a porous medium. More the tortuosity,

more twisted the fluid flow is in the medium.