DIRECT PREDICTION OF SEDIMENT PERMEABILITY USING 3D TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING

摘要

Separation of solids from suspending liquid plays a crucial role in a variety of processes,from nano-materials synthesis to bio-processing.The problem often involves small,colloidal-type particles that have to be aggregated into more manageable sizes.Characteristics of these aggregates inevitably influence downstream solids recovery.Porosity and density are as important as size in influencing aggregate settling behaviour and fluid transport properties,such as permeability of the aggregate networks or sediments.Most existing data on filtration, sedimentation,and thickening are focused on the macro-scale phenomena,whereas challenges still remain for fundamental understanding at a much smaller length scale.Insights into the micro-properties of aggregate and sediment are important for understanding system behaviour. Correlating the physical properties and hydrodynamic behaviour of these solids poses a significant challenge due to their non-spherical and porous structures.