Double porous screen element for gas–liquid phase separation

We consider an assembly of two parallel porous screens suspended in a tube at a distance L. The screens are connected by wicking aids. If one screen is brought into contact with a wetting liquid, the other screen will be wetted as well enclosing gas in between. Due to surface tension in the screen pores, the gas can only be removed from the chamber when the pressure difference across one screen exceeds the bubble point. With such a double porous screen element it is therefore possible to block liquid flow using trapped gas as plug. We present a model approach, experiments and numerical calculations on the performance of such a screen element. The model is based on capillary transport in vertical and radial capillaries and allows to predict how fast the element will trap the gas to become operational. For the experiments, we have built such an element using Dutch Twilled weaves made of stainless steel. Placed in a vertical tube and initially dry, it is wetted from below or above and submitted to an increasing pressure difference until breakthrough occurs where the element fails. Corresponding numerical calculations elucidate what happens within the element when it fails. Our results confirm the concept of the double porous screen element and encourage its application as liquid management device.