Experimental characterization of random packed spheres, cylinders and rings, and their influence on pressure drop

•Evaluation of filling rate and derived packing mode “single particle dropping”.•Correlation predicts average porosity of cylinder packings of various aspect ratios.•Tube’s shape does not affect average packing porosity of spheres but of cylinders.•The error propagation of porosity to pressure drop is 3.5 for sphere packings.•Roughness of particles increases pressure drop’s friction factor by 17.5%.