CHEMICAL ENGINEERING GROUP

DARCYS LAW APPARATUS

FLOW THROUGH POROUS MEDIUM (DARCYS LAW APPARATUS)

 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING GROUP

FLOW THROUGH POROUS MEDIUM

DARCYS LAW APPARATUS)

OBJECTIVE

Study of flow of fluid through porous medium.

AIM
1. To verify Darcys law
2. To find out the coefficient of permeability of the given porous medium.

INTRODUCTION

Darcys law can be stated as follows: When a fluid flows through a porous medium, the
apparent mean velocity of flow is proportional to the hydraulic gradient i.e. hf/ L, where
hf is the head loss between the two sections which are L apart.

THEORY

The flow of a fluid through a porous medium follows, under certain limitations, Darcys law,
means,

V = ki

Where V is the mean apparent velocity which is equal to the rate of discharge divided by the
area of cross-section of the solid mass perpendicular to the flow direction, k the constant of
proportionality termed as the coefficient of permeability and i (hf /L) is the hydraulic
gradient.
This law is valid when inertial forces are less than the viscous forces. In general, the
law is considered as valid when the Reyonlds number is less than unity. Beyond Darcyrange
the mean velocity is given by

V = k in

FLOW THROUGH POROUS MEDIUM (DARCYS LAW APPARATUS)

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It is obvious that the velocity and hydraulic gradient are measured for small velocities of flow
and plotted on a log-log graph paper, the resulting plot will be straight line inclined at an
angle of 45 . Beyond this range resulting straight line will have a steeper slope.
o

DESCRIPTION OF APPARATUS

The set-up consists of a cylindrical column filled with silica gel. Water from the sump tank is
pumped by a centrifugal pump and it enters in the column from the bottom. After passing
through the column water comes out from the top of the column and returns back to the
sump. In this way the system is operated in close-circuit unit. Flow of water through the
packed bed can be regulated using control valves provided in the water line. Discharge can be
measured using stopwatch and measuring tank, provided. Pressure at different positions is
measured by operating the pressure taps provided in the column and are connected to the
differential manometer. The distance between taps is 200 mm. The height of the silica gel bed
is 500mm. The diameter of the column is 120mm.

UTILITIES REQUIRED

Electricity Supply: 1 Phase, 220 V AC, 50 Hz

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

PART A: BEFORE START-UP (will be done prior to start of each session)

1. Clean the apparatus and ensure that all tanks are free from dust.
2. Close the drain valves provided.
3. Fill Sump tank with Clean Water and ensure that no foreign particles are there.
4. Close Flow Control Valves given on the water line and half open By-Pass Valve.
5. Check the level of Hg in manometer tube. It should be up to half. If it is less, then fill it.
6. Close all Pressure Taps of Manometer connected to the bed.
7. Ensure that On/Off Switch given on the Panel is at OFF position.

PART B: EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

8. Switch on the Main Power Supply (220 Volts AC, 50 Hz).

FLOW THROUGH POROUS MEDIUM (DARCYS LAW APPARATUS)

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9. Switch on the Pump.

10. Operate the Flow Control Valve to regulate the flow of water in the bed.
11. Open the Pressure Taps of Manometer, very slowly to avoid the blow of water on
manometer fluid.
12. Now open the Air release valve provided on the Manometer, slowly to release the air in
manometer.
13. When there is no air in the manometer, close the Air release valves.
14. Adjust water flow rate in testing section with the help of Control Valve.
15. Record the Manometer reading.
16. Measure the flow of water, discharged through test section, using Stop Watch and
Measuring Tank.
17. Repeat Steps 10 to 16 for different flow rates of water, operating Control Valve and By-
Pass valve.
18. When experiment is over, open the By-Pass Valve fully.

PART C: SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE

1. Close all Manometers Pressure Taps.

2. Switch off Pump.
3. Switch off Power Supply to Panel.

SPECIFICATIONS / KNOWN DATA

Flow Measurement : Using Measuring Tank with Piezometer,

Capacity 25 Ltrs.
Sump Tank : Capacity 50 Ltrs.
Internal diameter of column : 120mm
Height of the bed : 500mm
Packing Material : Silica gel
Density of water () : 1000 kg/m3
Density of mercury (m) : 13600 kg/m3
Acceleration due to gravity : 9.81
Area of measuring tank, a : 0.0705 m2
Area at the inlet of the column, A : 0.011397 m2
Distance between each pressure tapping : 0.2 m

FLOW THROUGH POROUS MEDIUM (DARCYS LAW APPARATUS)

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OBSERVATIONS

SN. No Manometer Reading, h (cm) Water level in the Time, t

L=0.2m L=0.4m
tank, H (cm) (sec)

DATA REDUCTION

Discharge (m3/s)

The discharge of the fluid Q is calculated by using

Velocity( m/s)

The velocity of the fluid is evaluated by using

Head loss (m)

Head loss due to flowing fluid can be calculated by

(ghf)Flowing fluid= (m- )*gh

1000*hf= (13600-1000)*h
hf=(12600/1000)*h=12.6h
Hydraulic gradient

Hydraulic gradient is given by

Coefficient of permeability (m/s)

FLOW THROUGH POROUS MEDIUM (DARCYS LAW APPARATUS)

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Coefficient of permeability is calculated using

CALCULATION TABLE

Velocity, Hydraulic Coefficient of

V (m/s) gradient, hf/L permeability, k
SN.No Volumetric
(m/s)
flow rate,
Q(m3/s) L=0.2m L=0.4m L=0.2m L=0.4m

Plot the graph between Hydraulic gradient Vs Velocity for verification of Darcys law

NOMENCLATURE:

a Area of measuring tank, m2

A Cross sectional area of the packed column, m2

h Manometric difference, m of Hg

H Rise of water level in measuring tank, m

hf Head loss, m

i Hydraulic gradient

k Coefficient of permeability, m/s

L Difference between the manometer taps, m

t time
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FLOW THROUGH POROUS MEDIUM (DARCYS LAW APPARATUS)