An experimental study of hydraulic resistance of ion-selective sorbents used for LRW treatment

It is shown that the use of Ergun-equation based methods requires the use of empirical data, such as data on the density and viscosity of the flow moving through the packed bed, and the packed bed particles size and porosity. The results of previous studies on determining EKSORB LRW purification ion-selective sorbets porosities and particle sizes with the irregular particles sizes and shapes are presented. The results of experimental measurements of specific hydraulic resistances of EKSORB sorbents are presented. It is shown that the Ergun equation calculation systematic error for the irregular shape and size particles is about 25–200 % and depends on the particle size. It is proposed to modify Ergun’s equation with frictional and dynamical correction coefficients. The values of the EKSORB ion-selective sorbents correction coefficients are defined using the regression analysis. The calculation error of the modified Ergun equation is about 4–12 %. Thus modified Ergun equation may be used for the engineering scale-up calculations for packed bed with irregular particles.