Fluid flow,relative permeabilities and capillary pressure curves through heterogeneous porous media

There is a growing interest in fluid flow through rocks which show a large range, or heterogeneity, in pore sizes (from order tens of nanometres up to a hundred microns) which lead to small porosities and permeabilities. Digital imagery of these rocks yield under-resolved pore structures or a gray-scale sample. In this work we use the gray-scale lattice Boltzmann (LB) method to determine flow of two, immiscible fluids through such three-dimensional porous media. The method yields transient and equilibrium flow fields from which we determine relative permeability and capillary pressure curves. The method is applied to real digital rock data to extract flow properties through the sample. Both single phase and multiphase LB simulations are carried out. We find low permeabilities (of the order of milli-Darcy) together with large residual saturations (between 50–75%), indicative of a rock sample which has void regions remote from each other, i.e. either disconnected or connected by very narrow pore throats.     

A unsplitting finite volume method for models with stiff relaxation source terms

We developed an unsplitting finite volume scheme to account the delicate nonlinear balance between numerical approximations of the hyperbolic flux function and the source linked to balance laws. The method is Riemann-solver-free and no upwinding technique is used. By means of this new approach, we conducted an analysis for two new models of balance laws linked to compositional and thermal flow in porous media problems, under and without a thermodynamic equilibrium hypothesis. For concreteness, we adopt the nitrogen and steam injection models in a porous media. To this model we found an interesting behavior linked to the relaxation term, which is the existence of a non-monotonic traveling wave. We applied this numerical technique to others well-known differential models with relaxation terms available in the literature. Qualitatively we were able to reproduce the expected results.     

能源数值模拟计算方法的理论和应用

１引言石油是国民经济和社会发展的重要支柱,油田的勘探和开发是发展石油工业的关键．我国开发的油田均进入了二次采油期,大多数已进入注水开发中后期,特别是大庆油田和胜利油田,若继续单纯采用注水开采,产量每年将减少数百万吨．稳定石油产量的唯一方法是采用三次采油新技术,开发尚滞留在地下约５０％以上已探明的储量．若能平均提高３０％的采收率,即相当于再生了同等规模的油田．所谓油藏数值模拟,就是用电子计算机模拟地下油藏十分复杂的化学、物理及流体流动的真实过程,以便选出最佳的开采方案,监控措施．对于三次采油新技术…     

基于三维CFD-DEM的多孔介质流场数值模拟

将多孔介质局部细观流动与基于Darcy定律的宏观物理模型相结合，应用三维CFD-DEM对多孔介质流场进行局部细观数值模拟，得到多孔介质的惯性阻力系数和粘性阻力系数.并将其作为参数提供给基于Darcy定律的CFD多孔介质模型，从而可用于更大规模的多孔介质流场计算.应用Voronoi多面体作为网格单元，解决了CFD DEM中网格孔隙率精确计算的困难.文中发展的多尺度结合应用的研究方法，在计算精度和计算效率的矛盾中找到了较好的平衡，对于工程应用而言，有节约实验成本、提高计算结果可靠性的功效.     

A multiscale Darcy–Brinkman model for fluid flow in fractured porous media

The aim of this work is to present a reduced mathematical model for describing fluid flow in porous media featuring open channels or fractures. The Darcy’s law is assumed in the porous domain while the Stokes–Brinkman equations are considered in the fractures. We address the case of fractures whose thickness is very small compared to the characteristic diameter of the computational domain, and describe the fracture as if it were an interface between porous regions. We derive the corresponding interface model governing the fluid flow in the fracture and in the porous media, and establish the well-posedness of the coupled problem. Further, we introduce a finite element scheme for the approximation of the coupled problem, and discuss solution strategies. We conclude by showing the numerical results related to several test cases and compare the accuracy of the reduced model compared with the non-reduced one.     

Implementation of a finite‐volume method for the determination of effective parameters in fissured porous media

Many studies have proposed one‐equation models to represent transport processes in heterogeneous porous media. This approach is based on the assumption that dependent variables such as pressure, temperature, or concentration can be expressed in terms of a single large‐scale averaged quantity in regions having very different chemical and/or mechanical properties. However, one can also develop large‐scale averaged equations that apply to the distinct regions that make up a heterogeneous porous medium. This approach leads to region‐averaged equations that contain traditional convective and dispersive terms, in addition to exchange terms that account for the transfer between the different media. In our approach, the fissures represent one region, and the porous media blocks represent the second region. The analysis leads to upscaled equations having a domain of validity that is clearly identified in terms of time and length‐scale constraints. Closure problems are developed that lead to the prediction of the effective coefficients that appear in the region averaged equations, and the main purpose of this article is to provide solutions to those closure problems. The method of solution makes use of an unstructured grid and a joint element method in order to take care of the special characteristics of the fissured network. This new numerical method uses the theory developed by Quintard and Whitaker and is applied on considerably more complex geometries than previously published results. It has been tested for several special cases such as stratified systems and “sugarbox” media, and we have compared our calculations with other computational methods. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 16: 237–263, 2000     

饱和多孔介质中骨架的应变局部化萌生条件

应用饱和多孔介质控制方程和Liapunov稳定理论,导出了固相应力和有效应力描述的多孔介质骨架应变局部化的萌生条件．不同应力形式表达的多孔介质基体的控制方程,相应的应变局部化萌生条件的表达形式也不尽相同,其原因源于骨架本构中固液两相之间相互作用的不同描述．应用得出的Terzaghi有效应力描述的应变局部化萌生条件,可以理论解释多孔介质中固、液两相不同相对运动出现的破坏方式,如管涌、滑坡和泥石流．应用简单算例说明了应变局部化条件的具体实施方法．     

Calculation of conjugate heat transfer problem with volumetric heat generation using the Galerkin method

A mathematical model of fluid flow across a rod bundle with volumetric heat generation has been built. The rods are heated with volumetric internal heat generation. To construct the model, a volume average technique (VAT) has been applied to momentum and energy transport equations for a fluid and a solid phase to develop a specific form of porous media flow equations. The model equations have been solved with a semi-analytical Galerkin method. The detailed velocity and temperature fields in the fluid flow and the solid structure have been obtained. Using the solution fields, a whole-section drag coefficient C_d and a whole-section Nusselt number Nu have also been calculated. To validate the developed solution procedure, the results have been compared to the results of a finite volume method. The comparison shows an excellent agreement. The present results demonstrate that the selected Galerkin approach is capable of performing calculations of heat transfer in a cross-flow where thermal conductivity and internal heat generation in a solid structure has to be taken into account. Although the Galerkin method has limited applicability in complex geometries, its highly accurate solutions are an important benchmark on which other numerical results can be tested.     

A hybrid numerical model for multiphase fluid flow in a deformable porous medium

In this paper, a fully coupled finite volume-finite element model for a deforming porous medium interacting with the flow of two immiscible pore fluids is presented. The basic equations describing the system are derived based on the averaging theory. Applying the standard Galerkin finite element method to solve this system of partial differential equations does not conserve mass locally. A non-conservative method may cause some accuracy and stability problems. The control volume based finite element technique that satisfies local mass conservation of the flow equations can be an appropriate alternative. Full coupling of control volume based finite element and the standard finite element techniques to solve the multiphase flow and geomechanical equilibrium equations is the main goal of this paper. The accuracy and efficiency of the method are verified by studying several examples for which analytical or numerical solutions are available. The effect of mesh orientation is investigated by simulating a benchmark water-flooding problem. A representative example is also presented to demonstrate the capability of the model to simulate the behavior in heterogeneous porous media.     

Monotonicity of control volume methods

Robustness of numerical methods for multiphase flow problems in porous media is important for development of methods to be used in a wide range of applications. Here, we discuss monotonicity for a simplified problem of single-phase flow, but where the simulation grids and media are allowed to be general, posing challenges to control-volume methods. We discuss discrete formulations of the maximum principle and derive sufficient criteria for discrete monotonicity for arbitrary nine-point control-volume discretizations for conforming quadrilateral grids in 2D. These criteria are less restrictive than the M-matrix property. It is shown that it is impossible to construct nine-point methods which unconditionally satisfy the monotonicity criteria when the discretization satisfies local conservation and exact reproduction of linear potential fields. Numerical examples are presented which show the validity of the criteria for monotonicity. Further, the impact of nonmonotonicity is studied. Different behavior for different discretization methods is illuminated, and simple ideas are presented for improvement in terms of monotonicity.     

Modeling microgeometric structures of porous media with a predominant axis for predicting diffusive flow in capillaries

This paper presents a method for modeling microgeometric structures of porous media with a predominant using successive cross-sections. The proposed model takes into account the properties of diffusive flow in capillaries. In order to characterize uncertainty and imprecision occurring in geometric features of cross-sections, we introduce the concept of connection degrees as well as tracking degrees based on fuzzy theory. The proposed model can be used for classifying different types of media and finding the relationship between the geometric structure of a porous medium and its physical properties. This model has been successfully applied to polyester yarn structure.     

New Optimization Approach to Multiphase Flow

A new optimization formulation for simulating multiphase flow in porous media is introduced. A locally mass-conservative, mixed finite-element method is employed for the spatial discretization. An unconditionally stable, fully-implicit time discretization is used and leads to a coupled system of nonlinear equations that must be solved at each time step. We reformulate this system as a least squares problem with simple bounds involving only one of the phase saturations. Both a Gauss–Newton method and a quasi-Newton secant method are considered as potential solvers for the optimization problem. Each evaluation of the least squares objective function and gradient requires solving two single-phase self-adjoint, linear, uniformly-elliptic partial differential equations for which very efficient solution techniques have been developed.     

Domain-DecompositionMethods for Parabolic Problems in Multi- dimensions with error-estimates

In this paper we consider parabolic equations with multi-physical processes for applications in porous media. For the solver method we apply an overlapping Schwarz wave form relaxation method, see [1]. We describe the theory for a multidimensional convection-diffusion-reaction equations and present an error-estimate for the domain-decomposition-method. The exactness and the efficiency of the methods are investigated through solutions of model problems of convection-diffusion-reaction equation. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Two‐phase flows in karstic geometry

Multiphase flow phenomena are ubiquitous. Common examples include coupled atmosphere and ocean system (air and water), oil reservoir (water, oil, and gas), and cloud and fog (water vapor, water, and air). Multiphase flows also play an important role in many engineering and environmental science applications. In some applications such as flows in unconfined karst aquifers, karst oil reservoir, proton membrane exchange fuel cell, multiphase flows in conduits, and in porous media must be considered together. Geometric configurations that contain both conduit (or vug) and porous media are termed karstic geometry. Despite the importance of the subject, little work has been performed on multiphase flows in karstic geometry. In this paper, we present a family of phase–field (diffusive interface) models for two‐phase flow in karstic geometry. These models together with the associated interface boundary conditions are derived utilizing Onsager's extremum principle. The models derived enjoy physically important energy laws. A uniquely solvable numerical scheme that preserves the associated energy law is presented as well. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

RECENT ADVANCES OF UPSCALING METHODS FOR THE SIMULATION OF FLOW TRANSPORT THROUGH HETEROGENEOUS POROUS MEDIA

We review some of our recent efforts in developing upscaling methods for simulatingthe flow transport through heterogeneous porous media. In particular, the steady flowtransport through highly heterogeneous porous media driven by extraction wells and theflow transport through unsaturated porous media will be considered.     

Expansions at small Reynolds numbers for the flow past a porous circular cylinder

The purpose of this article is to use the method of matched asymptotic expansions (MMAE) in order to study the two-dimensional steady low Reynolds number flow of a viscous incompressible fluid past a porous circular cylinder. We assume that the flow inside the porous body is described by the continuity and Brinkman equations, and the velocity and boundary traction fields are continuous across the interface between the fluid and porous media. Formal expansions for the corresponding stream functions are used. We show that the force exerted by the exterior flow on the porous cylinder admits an asymptotic expansion with respect to low Reynolds numbers, whose terms depend on the characteristics of the porous cylinder. In addition, by considering Darcy's law for the flow inside the porous circular cylinder, an asymptotic formula for the force on the cylinder is obtained. Also, a porous circular cylinder with a rigid core inside is considered with Brinkman equation inside the porous region. Stress jump condition is used at the porous–liquid interface together with the continuity of velocity components and continuity of normal stress. Some particular cases, which refer to the low Reynolds number flow past a solid circular cylinder, have also been investigated.     

考虑毛管形状的幂律流体等效渗透率计算方法(英文)

While studying the flow of oil and gas in the reservoir, it is not realistic that capillary with circular section is only used to express the pores. It is more representative to simulate porous media pore with kinds of capillary with triangle or rectangle section etc. In the condition of the same diameter, when polymer for oil displacement flows in the porous medium, there only exists shear flow which can be expressed with power law model. Based on fluid flow-pressure drop equation in single capillary, this paper gives a calculation method of equivalent permeability of power law fluid of single capillary and capillary bundles with different sections.     

A Comparison of Optimal Methods for Local Access Uncapacitated Network Design

We compare some optimal methods addressed to a problem of local access network design. We see this problem arising in telecommunication as a flow extension of the Steiner problem in directed graphs, thus including as particular cases some alternative approaches based on the spanning tree problem. We work with two equivalent flow formulations for the problem, the first referring to a single commodity and the second being a multicommodity flow model. The objective in both cases is the cost minimization of the sum of the fixed (structural) and variable (operational) costs of all the arcs composing an arborescence that links the origin node (switching center) to every demand node. The weak single commodity flow formulation is solved by a branch-and-bound strategy that applies Lagrangian relaxation for computing the bounds. The strong multicommodity flow model is solved by a branch-and-cut algorithm and by Benders decomposition. The use of a linear programming solver to address both the single commodity and the multicommodity models has also been investigated. Our experience suggests that a certain number of these modeling and solution strategies can be applied to the frequently occurring problems where basic optimal solutions to the linear program are automatically integral, so it also solves the combinatorial optimization problem right away. On the other hand, our main conclusion is that a well tailored Benders partitioning approach emerges as a robust method to cope with that fabricated cases where the linear programming relaxation exhibits a gap between the continuous and the integral optimal values.     

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics modelling of poroelastic media

Numerical modelling of poroelastic properties in porous media allows widely varied investigations at low costs and relatively short times. The study of porous media is of high interest at different scales, in this case we focus our analysis at meso- and macroscale which is highly relevant e.g. in geothermal explorations. We model a biphasic poroelastic media assuming incompressible fluid and solid grains and a large solid-fluid density ratio. Meshfree methods are nowadays more widely used due to the advantages that present in the simulation of large deformations. In this case we choose to employ the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method (SPH), a Lagrangian method where the domain is discretized in particles. The solution is computed in parallel, which allows to simulate large domains more representative of the scale of our study cases. We validate our implementation with a classical consolidation problem and compare the simulated diffusion process with Terzaghi's analytical solution. Future work includes simulation of fractures initiation and propagation in the porous media at reservoir scale. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)