Network analysis of filter cake pore structure by high resolution X-ray microtomography

Continuous filtration of fine particles involves filter cake formation and removal of surface moisture by drawing air through the pore structure network. Conventional network theory can be used to study the phenomena of flow through a porous structure by treating the pores as discrete volumes and connecting these with pore throats as resistances of zero volume. In this regard, analysis of the pore connectivity in a packed bed of particles should allow for a detailed description of fluid flow and transport in the filter cake structure. As the resolution and the techniques for 3-D geometric analysis have advanced in the last decade, it is now possible to specify in detail the pore structure in three-dimensional digital space using high-resolution X-ray microtomography to resolve features with micrometer resolution. This paper presents preliminary experimental findings of a filter cake pore structure in 3-D using X-ray microtomographic techniques.

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