InterPore2025

Modeling water imbibition in porous ceramics using Richards equation: Insights into saturation dynamics and role of material properties

21 May 2025, 10:05

1h 30m

Poster Presentation (MS07) Mathematical and numerical methods for multi-scale multi-physics, nonlinear coupled processes Poster

Speaker

ABUL BORKOT MD RAFIQUL HASAN (University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee)

Description

Porous ceramics have diverse applications, including water filtration, heat transfer, catalyst support, and liquid evaporation. They are also essential as water-sealing residential tiles, where understanding water imbibition is crucial for improving tile coating quality. This study focuses on modeling water imbibition using Richards' equation, a complex nonlinear partial differential equation without a closed-form solution in multi-dimensional geometries. Numerical simulations were performed using COMSOL Multiphysics to solve Richards' equation. The research begins by validating the simulation results against neutron microscope imaging (NMI) data, comparing the saturation fronts from simulations and experiments.

Once validated, the simulations were conducted for three scenarios: water droplets on bare ceramic, ceramic with hydrophilic coating, and ceramic infused with hydrophobic particles. Results show that material properties significantly influence the saturation behavior. For bare ceramics, the saturation front is ellipsoidal; for hydrophilic coatings, it resembles a flat surface; and for hydrophobic particle infusion, it becomes irregular. While the saturation levels across all cases increase over time, the saturation front slows down and flattens, becoming less curved with time. This study provides valuable insights into the effects of material properties on water imbibition, enhancing our understanding of processes crucial for improving ceramic coatings in various applications.