A synthesis of tortuosity and dispersion in effective thermal conductivity of porous media

Effects of tortuosity and dispersion on the effective thermal conductivity of fluid-saturated porous media are investigated analytically with help of a volume averaging theory. Firstly, a general expression for the effective stagnant thermal conductivity has been derived using a unit cell model, which consists of rectangular solids with connecting arms in an in-line arrangement. The validity of the expression for the stagnant thermal conductivity has been confirmed comparing the present results with available experimental and theoretical data for packed beds, porous foams and wire screens. Secondly, an general expression for the thermal dispersion conductivity has been sought with help of the two energy equations for solid and fluid phases, derived on the basis of a volume averaging theory. It has been shown that the interstitial heat transfer between the solid and fluid phases is closely associated with the thermal dispersion. The resulting expressions for the longitudinal and transverse thermal dispersion conductivities agree well with available experimental data and empirical correlations. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.