Theoretical models for the thermo-gravitational separation process in porous media filled by N-component mixtures.

The aim of this work is to present a theoretical analysis of the separation of an N-component mixture. In this study, two analytical models explaining the thermo-gravitational separation of components in N-component mixtures for vertical cavity filled by a porous medium are presented and assessed. The basic state and the separation are expressed in terms of the separation ratio, and the Lewis, cross-diffusion and Rayleigh numbers.

Thermal gravitational separation of ternary mixture n-dodecane/isobutylbenzene/tetralin components in a porous medium.

Our present work focuses on the coupling between thermal diffusion and convection in order to improve the thermal gravitational separation of mixture components. The separation phenomenon was studied in a porous medium contained in vertical columns. We performed analytical and numerical simulations to corroborate the experimental measurements of the thermal diffusion coefficients of ternary mixture n-dodecane, isobutylbenzene, and tetralin obtained in microgravity in the international space station.