Permeameter-porosimeter
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorBulent Chavdar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A permeameter provides normal and lateral permeability measurements on porous materials. The permeability measurements can be made on compressed or uncompressed samples and can be made at room temperature or at elevated temperatures. A wide variety of fluids, gas or liquid, can be used as the penetrating test fluid depending on the application and the porosity of porous sample. The penetrating test fluid is forced through the sample under pressure. The load, the fluid displacement, and the time are recorded and used in the calculations of permeability, porosity, pore size distribution, average pore size and the number of pores per unit area.
Claims21
Apparatus for measuring flow of fluid through samples of porous material in either of a lateral or normal direction, said porous material samples having a peripheral edge and first and second spaced apart surfaces extending inwardly therefrom comprising:
- (a) a support member having a surface, said surface including an annular portion for supporting a sample so as to accomodate fluid flow in a normal direction thru such sample;
- (b) a fluid chamber housing including a cylindrical wall and an end wall cooperating to define a chamber for receiving fluid, said end wall having an annular surface cooperating with said support member annular surface to clamp annular portions of a sample first and second spaced apart surfaces adjacent said peripheral edge therebetween so as to accommodate radially outward or lateral fluid flow thru such sample;
- (c) an opening in said end wall for introducing fluid to said sample;
- and
- (d) a fluid flow controller for forcing said fluid under pressure through said opening and said sample.
Apparatus for measuring flow of fluid through porous material comprising:
- (a) a support member having (1) an annular surface defining an opening for supporting a discrete sample of said material and (2) a holley block positioned in said opening, said holley block having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough to receive fluid passing through said sample, said holley block being threadedly retained in said support member opening and rotatable to vary the position of said holley block relative to said support member surfacer;
- (b) a fluid chamber housing including a cylindrical wall and an end wall cooperating to define a chamber for receiving fluid, said end wall having a surface cooperating with said support member surface to clamp said sample therebetween;
- (c) an opening in said end wall for introducing fluid to said sample;
- and
- (d) a fluid flow controller for forcing said fluid under pressure through said opening and said sample, said fluid flow controller including a piston having a stem and an enlarged head, said enlarged head having an aperture permitting the introduction of fluid to said chamber and said opening.
Apparatus for measuring flow of fluid through porous material comprising:
- (a) a support member having (1) an annular surface defining an opening for supporting a discrete sample of said material and (2) a holley block positioned in said opening, said holley block having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough to receive fluid passing through said sample, said holley block being threadedly retained in said support member opening and rotatable to vary the position of said holley block relative to said support member surface;
- (b) a fluid chamber housing including a cylindrical wall and an end wall cooperating to define a chamber for receiving fluid, said end wall having a surface cooperating with said support member surface to clamp said sample therebetween;
- (c) an opening in said end wall for introducing fluid to said sample;
- and
- (d) a fluid flow controller for forcing said fluid under pressure through said opening and said sample, said fluid flow controller including a piston having a stem and an enlarged head, said enlarged head having an aperture permitting the introduction of fluid to said chamber and said opening;
- and
- (e) a porous spacer on said holley block in a position to be engaged by said sample, said porous spacer permitting the flow of fluid therethrough.
Apparatus for measuring flow of fluid through porous material comprising:
- (a) a support member having an annular surface for supporting a discrete sample of said material, said sample including a peripheral edge and first and second spaced apart surfaces extending inwardly therefrom;
- (b) a fluid chamber housing including a cylindrical wall and an end wall cooperating to define a chamber for receiving fluid, said end wall having an annular surface cooperating with said support member annular surface to clamp annular portions of said sample first and second spaced apart surfaces adjacent said peripheral edge therebetween;
- (c) an opening in said end wall for introducing fluid to said sample;
- (d) a fluid flow controller for forcing said fluid under pressure through said opening and said sample;
- (e) a base member, said support member being retained in said base member;
- (f) a clamping member engageable with said base member, said clamping member operable to retain said outwardly extending flange to said support member;
- and
- (g) a set of self-aligning spherical washers between said clamping member and said flange to provide uniform pressure over a sample of said material.
A method for measuring a sample of porous material for both normal and lateral permeability, said sample having spaced apart first and second sides comprising the steps of:
- (a) removing a disk shaped member from said sample thereby leaving a second portion of said sample, said disk shaped member defining a first sub-sample having an annular outer edge extending between said first and second sides and said second portion defining a second sub-sample having an aperture defined by an annular inner edge extending between said first and second sides;
- (b) clamping an annular portion of said first sub-sample adjacent said annular outer edge between first and second annular support members and flowing permeant fluid in a normal direction through said first sub-sample;
- and
- (c) clamping an annular portion of said second sub-sample adjacent said annular inner edge between first and second annular support members and flowing permeant fluid laterally through said second sub-sample outwardly from said annular inner edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.