Predicting the permeability and specific surface area of compressed and uncompressed fibrous media including the Klinkenberg effect

In this study a geometric anisotropic two-strut model is presented to predict the permeability of fibrous porous media subject to compression. A further novelty of this study is the inclusion of the Klinkenberg effect in the permeability prediction of the two-strut model and existing three-strut model. The specific surface area of the anisotropic models are predicted by making use of two approaches, i.e. a geometric approach and a combined kinematic-geometric approach. The Klinkenberg effect has also been introduced into the non-compressed models. The model predictions are compared to a variety of available experimental data for non-woven fibre media and metal foams from the literature and the correspondence proves to be satisfactory. The analytical modelling approach presented adds value to the empirical studies in the literature which comprises of curve fitting procedures together with the introduction of empirical coefficients into the Forchheimer or Ergun equations to obtain correlation with experimental data. [Display omitted] •Geometric models for compressed fibrous porous media are introduced.•Analytical equations are proposed for the permeability and specific surface area.•The combined effects of compression and the Klinkenberg effect are accounted for.•The proposed physically adaptable equations contain no empirical coefficients.•The analytical modelling procedure complements the empirical studies in literature.