Radial voidage variation in fixed beds of fuel wood pellets

Fixed beds of fuel wood are commonly found in numerous processes: storage and transportation, drying and thermal conversion such as combustion or gasification. Pellets in particular are mostly used as fuel for domestic heating boilers. The characterization of spatial voidage distribution is of great importance for flow and reactor modelling. The present study focuses on the radial porosity variations of cylindrical beds of commercially available wood pellets. The experimental procedure is based on the classical technique of consolidating packed beds with a resin. The radial voidage distribution of three different cylindrical beds is determined by image analysis of sections of the solidified packing. The results are discussed and summarized in a mathematical expression correlating the radial voidage distribution depending on packing core porosity and dimensionless distance from the tube wall.

► Packing characteristics for commercially available wood pellets were investigated.
► Radial porosity variations of cylindrical pellets beds were investigated.
► Epoxy resin consolidated packings were investigated by image analysis.
► Mathematical term for radial voidage distribution of pellet packing was derived.