Closure to Discussion: ‘‘A Numerical case of low Peclet number. Dr.

Yu should note that our low Peclet

number correlations given by 共26a兲 and 共16a兲 are consistent with
Study of Thermal Dispersion in the following analytical expressions reported by Koch and Brady
Porous Media’’ „Kuwahara, 关3兴 for the dispersion in fixed beds 共also see Kaviany 关4兴兲:
For the transverse dispersion:
F., Nakayama, A., and Koyama, H., 共 k dis 兲 y y & 2
PeD
1996, ASME J. Heat Transfer, ⫽ for 共 PeD Ⰶ1 兲
kf 240 共 1⫺␧ 兲 1/2
118, pp. 756–761… and ‘‘Numerical For the longitudinal dispersion:
Determination of Thermal Dispersion 共 k dis 兲 xx &
2
PeD
⫽ for 共 PeD Ⰶ1 兲
Coefficients Using a Periodic kf 60 共 1⫺␧ 兲 1/2
Porous Structure’’ „Kuwahara, F., and Kaviany 关4兴 explains the denominator (1⫺␧) 1/2, stating that, for
the case of sufficiently low Peclet number, convection extends a
Nakayama, A., 1999, ASME J. distance of D/3&(1⫺␧) 1/2⬃H, resulting in the spread of the heat
Heat Transfer, 121, pp. 160–163… much beyond a distance of a particle diameter associated with the
pure conduction contribution.
Like these expressions, our expressions 共26a兲 and 共16a兲 fail as
A. Nakayama the porosity approaches unity. They may also fail under the other
limiting condition, namely, ␧→0, since the permeability–porosity
F. Kuwahara relationship is different there. The porosity range in which our
correlations are valid may be judged by reexamining Fig. 8 in our
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Shizuoka University, paper 关1兴, where the coefficients are plotted against the abscissa
3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu, 432-8561 Japan variable (1⫺␧) to find possible correlations. The errors become
We thank Dr. Yu for his discussion on two papers 关1,2兴 of ours large as the porosity approaches zero. Also, in the range close to
on thermal dispersion in porous media that appeared in the Journal the origin 共i.e. ␧⫽1), the coefficients reduce to values too small
of Heat Transfer. Dr. Yu rewrites our correlations established per- to elucidate a functional relationship. Thus, we presume that our
forming a series of numerical experiments as follows: correlations given by 共26a兲, 共26b兲, 共16a兲 and 共16b兲 are valid only
For the transverse dispersion: for a limited porosity range, say, 0.2⬍␧⬍0.8. It should also be
1.7
noted that neither 共26b兲 nor 共16b兲 can be used beyond this range,
共 k dis 兲 y y PeD since neither of them has been designed to account for the
⫽0.022 for 共 PeD ⬍10兲 (26a)
kf 共 1⫺␧ 兲 1/4 asymptotic behavior that Dr. Yu presumed in his discussion.
As in Figs. 9 in Ref. 关1兴 and Fig. 4 in Ref. 关2兴, the high Peclet
共 k dis 兲 y y number correlations are found in good accord with available ex-
⫽0.052共 1⫺␧ 兲 1/2 PeD for 共 PeD ⬎10兲 (26b) perimental data. This substantiates the validity of our correlations.
kf
However, sufficient experimental data are not available for the
For the longitudinal dispersion: low Peclet number range with which Dr. Yu is mostly concerned.
共 k dis 兲 xx
2
PeD For this range, we simply repeat that the correlations are consis-
⫽0.022 for 共 PeD ⬍10兲 (16a) tent with those for packed beds reported by Koch and Brady 关3兴.
kf 共 1⫺␧ 兲
共 k dis 兲 xx PeD References
⫽2.7 1/2 for 共 PeD ⬎10兲 (16b)
kf ␧ 关1兴 Kuwahara, F., Nakayama, A., and Koyama, H., 1996, ‘‘A Numerical Study of
Thermal Dispersion in Porous Media,’’ ASME J. Heat Transfer, 118, pp. 756 –
Dr. Yu assumes that the thermal dispersion decreases with the 761.
increase in the porosity, for it vanishes when the porosity asymp- 关2兴 Kuwahara, F., and Nakayama, A., 1999, ‘‘Numerical Determination of Ther-
totically approaches unity. „Incidentally, he did not give Eq. 共26b兲 mal Dispersion Coefficients Using a Periodic Structure,’’ ASME J. Heat Trans-
in his discussion, perhaps because it satisfies the foregoing fer, 121, pp. 160–163.
关3兴 Koch, D. L., and Brady, J. F., 1985, ‘‘Dispersion in Fixed Beds,’’ J. Fluid
asymptotic behavior with which he is concerned.… He is correct Mech., 154, pp. 399– 427.
for the case of a high Peclet number since it should decrease with 关4兴 Kaviany, M., 1995, Principles of Heat Transfer in Porous Media, 2nd edition
the increase in ␧ „see Eqs. 共26b兲 and 共16b兲…, but incorrect for the Springer-Verlag, New York, p. 209.

1062 Õ Vol. 126, DECEMBER 2004 Copyright © 2004 by ASME Transactions of the ASME

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