Dependency of Tortuosity on Saturated and Unsaturated Flow within Mesh-Type Wicks

摘要

References(15) Cited-By(2) Measurements of capillary suction potential of mesh-type wicks have developed a capillary model, which reasonably makes it possible to predict unsaturated hydraulic conductivity by considering the dependency of tortuosity on the saturation level, as well as to deduce a dimensionless capillary suction potential. The capillary model has also been provided to predict saturation profiles observed in a wick through which liquid flows at a constant infiltration rate and draining to a liquid table.The friction factor cf determined from the observed capillary potential has been related to the Reynolds number Re by cfRe = constant, which experimentally proved independent of the mesh woven-types and mesh layers consisting of a wick. The estimated cfRe value demonstrates its availability to predict the saturated hydraulic conductivity of mesh-type wicks.