Solver for reaction with changing porosity
 

Hello Dear Foamers,

I worked with OpenFOAM in the past and I know the very basics of how OpenFOAM works and how to use it.
Now I am working on a completely different subject and I need to simulate my reactor. But here is the catch: during the reaction, the porosity of my bed changes. My idea is to relate the change in porosity with the reaction kinetics.

I am still starting, mainly doing some reading and getting acquainted with the possible solvers to pick up from, but I have some doubts that I could not find the answers to and would also kindly ask for suggestions on this type of problem.

My questions are mainly regarding how OpenFOAM deals with porosity: If I am not mistaken, the effect of porosity is accounted for in the momentum equation by adding the pZones.addResistance term to the momentum equation and using models like the Darcy Forchheimer equation. The zones are defined in the fvOptions or topoSetDict.
My question is: is it possible to define the porous zone and use different equations (including the equations for predicting the porosity) for different zones of the mesh?
My idea is to create a field for porosity and treat it the same way velocity and pressure are dealt with. However, I need a way of defining where is the porous zone so that the species balance includes the reaction term and the momentum and continuity equations have the effect of porosity.
Outside the porous zone, it would be the "normal" flow. I know that I may have some continuity problems in the interface between the porous and not porous zone but tomorrow's problems for tomorrow me :D
I still haven't decided what solver to start from but I think it will be something along the lines of porousSimpleFoam or maybe even reactingFoam.

Anyway, I thought of coming here to ask for feedback on this approach and if you can give me some insight or advice on how to tackle this project.
I am sorry if this thread is a bit all over the place but I am just trying to find some guiding lines on how to better start.

Thank you very much.

Best Regards

Hey Vitor,


I am also heading in same direction of defining porosity as a field and looking for some hint.
Have you already figured out a way or succeed to formulate it?


Kind regards,
Suraj