The effect of fibre morphology on packing phenomena and bed properties in coalescers

Abstract

In this study, fibre morphology of waste materials and its effect on packing phenomena and bed properties were investigated. Nine waste materials were used in bed coalescers. By scanning electron microscopy, it was determined that surfaces of all fibres were smooth, while cross-section differed from circular, rectangular to irregular. The fibres with circular cross-sections had diameters in the range of 12?0.8 to 40?4 ?m, while the fibres of polypropylene bags and sponges appeared as strips with the widths of 452?11 and 1001?14 ?m, respectively. It was also noticed that polyurethane fibres were connected forming a sponge-like structure, while polyethylene terephthalate fibres were interconnected at some points. In this work, experimental dependence of bed porosity on bed permeability was established for all investigated materials, which allows forming a fibre bed with desired permeability. The exception was the bed formed of fibres of polypropylene bags, which had the largest dimensions and yielded a different porosity-permeability dependence.