Permeability of Fiber-Filled Porous Media: Kozeny-Carman-Ethier Modeling Approach

A modeling approach is proposed for predicting the permeability of mixed particle-fiber porous media. The approach combines Kozeny-Carman and Ethier models to predict the permeability of the mixed porous media based on the permeability of the fiber-free bed and on the volume fraction of the fibers in the mixed bed. To validate the model, membrane filtration experiments with suspensions of silica colloids and carbon fibers were conducted to form and characterize mixed beds with varied fiber content. Predicted and experimentally determined permeabilities were in good accordance for mixed beds with fiber mass fractions of less than 50%. The model can potentially be used to predict permeability of a variety of engineered and natural systems such as nanocomposite membranes, fouled fibrous filters and adsorbents, and other composite porous media.