Mathematical Model of Foam Flowing Characteristics by Snap-Off Mechanisms at Steady State in Porous Media

Flow characteristics and regeneration processes of foams were influenced by lamella properties and pore-throat structure in porous media. In this article, porous media was simplified as a bunch of constricted capillary tubes according to grain size, pore-throat radius, and immobile water saturation in porous media. Based on an analysis of forces upon liquid lamella, a mathematical model of foam migration and regeneration at steady state was established according to the mass conservation law and the momentum conservation law in porous media. The model could be used to calculate some important parameters in porous media, such as pressure distribution, shearing stress, lamella morphology, liquid-layer thickness, regeneration bubble size, etc. A series of flow experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of liquid properties and pore-throat structure on flow characteristics and resistance behavior of foams in porous media. The experimental results showed that pressure distribution monotonously decreased along porous media. The theoretical results were in good agreement with the experimental results. Foam structure, that is, foam quality was an important factor upon foam resistance behavior in porous media. The strongest resistance ability of foams was achieved at foam quality of 85% in porous media.      

基于PC-SAFT方程研究多孔介质中水合物相平衡的预测模型

对多孔介质中水合物的形成条件预测模型进行了研究.利用微扰链-统计缔合流体理论状态方程(PC-SAFT)结合van der Waals-Platteuw模型和毛细管Kelvin模型,建立了用于多孔介质水合物体系的相平衡预测模型.在此模型基础上,针对甲烷水合物和CO2水合物对界面张力作了进一步的研究.根据多孔介质水合物相平...     

Capillary Rise in Porous Media

Capillary rise experiments were performed in columns filled with glass beads and Berea sandstones, using visual methods to register the advance of the water front. For the glass bead filled columns, early time data are well fitted by the Washburn equation. However, in the experiments, the advancing front exceeded the predicted equilibrium height. For large times, an algebraic behavior of the velocity of the front is observed (T. Delker et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 2902 (1996)). A model for studying the capillary pressure evolution in a regular assembly of spheres is proposed and developed. It is based on a quasi-static advance of the meniscus with a piston-like motion and allows us to estimate the hydraulic equilibrium height, with values very close to those obtained by fitting early time data to a Washburn equation. The change of regime is explained as a transition in the mechanism of advance of the meniscus. On the other hand, only the Washburn regime was observed for the sandstones. The front velocity was fitted to an algebraical form with an exponent close to 0.5, a value expected from the asymptotic limit of the Washburn equation. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Electroosmotic Velocity in Fibrous Porous Media

A theory of electroosmosis in an array of parallel cylindrical fibers of Kozak and Davis (J. Colloid Interface Sci.,112, 403 (1986)), in which the liquid flow is normal to the axes of the cylinders, is developed to derive a simple approximate expression for the electroosmotic velocity for low zeta potentials without involving numerical integration. The relative error is less than 6%.     

Blocking Ability and Flow Characteristics of Nitrogen Foam Stabilized with Clay Particles in Porous Media

Particles-stabilized foams have received more attention in recent years due to their specific characteristics and advantages in contrast to conventional foams which were stabilized with surfactants. However, the rheology of particles-stabilized foam in consolidated cores was rarely studied. To investigate the feasibility of the particles-stabilized foam application in enhanced oil recovery, the blocking ability and flowing characteristics of foam stabilized with clay particles were investigated by using experimental cores. To do this, the foam resistance factor was studied as an index in this article. The effects of foam quality (gas velocity divided by total velocity), injection rate of foam, and the permeability of cores on the blocking ability of foams were investigated. Results showed that the blocking ability reached the peak value at the foam quality of 0.74. This indicated effective blocking ability as conventional foams performed in porous media. Moreover, the foams block the channels more effectively in high permeability cores, compared with low permeability ones. Finally, foams displayed shear-thinning property in porous media as injection rate increased.      

Porous Liquids: A Promising Class of Media for Gas Separation

A porous liquid containing empty cavities has been successfully fabricated by surface engineering of hollow structures with suitable corona and canopy species. By taking advantage of the liquid‐like polymeric matrices as a separation medium and the empty cavities as gas transport pathway, this unique porous liquid can function as a promising candidate for gas separation. Moreover, such a facile synthetic strategy can be further extended to the fabrication of other types of nanostructure‐based porous liquid, opening up new opportunities for preparation of porous liquids with attractive properties for specific tasks.     

多孔介质中甲烷水合物的分解特性

利用定容降压方法测定了在不同多孔介质中甲烷水合物的分解实验数据, 所使用的多孔介质平均孔径分别为9.03, 12.95, 17.96和33.20 nm, 其中孔径为12.95 nm的多孔介质采用了3个粒径范围, 分别为0.105～0.150, 0.150～0.200和0.300～0.450 mm; 其它孔径的多孔介质的粒径范围为0.105～0.150 mm. 在封闭的条件下测定了不同温度与不同初始生成压力下甲烷水合物的分解实验数据(实验温度范围为269.15～278.15 K, 初始生成压力范围为4.1～11.0 MPa), 结果表明, 水合物的分解速度随着初始生成压力的增加和水浴温度的降低而升高, 也随孔径的增加而升高, 但随多孔介质粒径的增大而降低. 在孔径较大和分解温度较低时, 多孔介质中水合物分解引起的温度降低会使水结冰, 从而减缓水合物的分解速度.     

Unsteady-State Flow of Flexible Polymers in Porous Media

In this paper we report an investigation of the unsteady-state flow of polymer solutions through granular porous media. The experiments were performed using high-molecular-weight nonionic and anionic polyacrylamides dissolved in water containing NaCl and model porous media obtained by packing silicon carbide (SiC) grains having a narrow grain size distribution. Before injection in porous media, the polymer solutions were carefully filtered according to a method that was proved to be efficient in removing any possibly remaining microgels. The SiC grain surface was passively oxidized by a controlled thermal treatment in order to obtain a surface partially covered by a thin silica layer having adsorption properties similar to those of quartzitic sand. By packing SiC grains of different sizes, porous media having identical adsorption properties and well-known pore throats sizes can be obtained with a good reproducibility. Parameters investigated include pore size, velocity gradient, polymer concentration, and adsorption energy. A striking unsteady-state flow behavior (pressure build-up at constant flow rate) is observed when three conditions are fulfilled: (a) the velocity gradient is larger than that known to be able to induce a coil-stretch transition, (b) the polymer adsorbs on the pore surfaces, and (c) the length of stretched macromolecules is larger than the effective pore throat diameter. When one of these conditions is not satisfied the flow remains steady. These observations are interpreted by a mechanism involving the adsorption and bridging across pore restrictions of elongated chains. We propose to refer to this peculiar mode of polymer adsorption as bridging adsorption. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Investigation on the Adaptability of the Polymer Microspheres for Fluid Flow Diversion in Porous Media

Large amounts of water producing from producers have been a great concern for petroleum engineers. In an attempt to inhibit water production and promote oil productivity, various water control agents and techniques have been devised for enhanced oil recovery purpose for decades with some good successes reported commercially. Mainly field-targeted specifically, however, these chemicals are limited in expansive reservoir applications for failing to tolerate harsh formation conditions of high temperature (HT) and high salinity (HS). Besides, their low injectivity is also another proper impediment. In this presentation, we synthesized a new agent of polymer microspheres using inverse emulsion polymerization technique to divert fluid patterns in deep porous media for reservoirs encountered recovery enhancement problems. These microspheres are made to tolerate HT and HS conditions, and can be pumped into deep pore space with relative ease. With the help of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear pore membrane filtration techniques, a series of experimental procedures were conducted to test the adaptability of newly produced polymer microspheres to targeted pore structure in enhancing the sweeping efficiency of injection fluids. Both laboratory core tests and NMR data show good characteristics of polymer microspheres in modifying injection profile, demonstrating a good capability to divert fluid flow patterns in deep porous media and enhance oil productivity.     

The Potentials of Pulsed Field Gradient NMR for Investigation of Porous Media

PFG NMR self-diffusion studies provide information on the translational mobility of fluid molecules. Since in porous media the diffusion path of fluid molecules in the pore space is affected by interaction with the pore wall, PFG NMR measurements are sensitive to structural peculiarities of the confining porous medium. The pore space properties which can be investigated depend on length scales set by the PFG NMR experiment in respect to the typical size of the structural feature studied. Based upon these length scales, an interpretation pattern for PFG NMR self-diffusion studies in porous media is given. PFG NMR self-diffusion studies in macro- and microporous systems such as sedimentary rocks and zeolite crystallites, respectively, are reviewed.     

Calculation of the Effective Properties of Porous and Composite Materials

Based on the modified Bruggerman method (mean field theory), equations for the effective diffusion coefficient in a porous medium are derived, and the dependences of the effective moduli of elasticity of composite materials on the volume fraction of inclusions are obtained. It is shown that the application of this method to the determination of the elastic properties of laminated composites gives the results that are identical to those obtained earlier by the averaging method.     

On the Geometry and Topology of 3D Stochastic Porous Media

The nature of geometric and topological information contained in statistical correlation functions was investigated systematically using simulated porous media, generated by the level-cut of Gaussian random fields. Pore space partitioning techniques based on multiorientation scanning were implemented to determine the pore and neck size distributions, coordination number distribution, and genus of a number of model porous media. These results were correlated with the statistical properties (porosity and correlation function) of the microstructure, revealing for the first time the extent of morphological diversity of a broad class of stochastically reconstructed porous media. It was found that the dominant factor explaining microstructural variability among the media studied is the dimensionless length of spatial correlation. Accordingly, the resolution at which the void space is discretized during simulation was shown to affect significantly the resulting pore and neck size distributions and specific genus. It was also found that the average coordination number of simulated porous media is independent of correlation length, but decreases slightly with decreasing porosity. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Flow Mechanism of Partially Cross-Linked Polyacrylamide in Porous Media

Partially cross-linked polyacrylamides (PCPAM) were prepared, and their rheological property, gel content, swelling property, and suspension property in saline solution were analyzed in laboratory. The goal of the research was to study the flow mechanism of PCPAM as a novel oil displacement agent in porous media. The migration behaviors of PCPAM were studied by single and series connection of double-tube sandpacked core flow experiments. The results showed that there was a critical pressure existing in the migration of PCPAM particles in porous media, and the migration was a dynamic process of plugging and flooding at the same time. When the pressure reached the critical pressure, the PCPAM particles would deform to pass through the pore throat and go ahead. Besides, the profile control experiments were conducted using a parallel connection of double-tube sandpacked core models, and the results revealed that PCPAM could generate “fluid diversion” and enlarge the swept volume of the lower permeable core. Moreover, micro-visualization displacement experiments were also carried out and proved that PCPAM could plug the high permeable pore throat to enlarge the swept volume, leading to an enhancement in oil recovery.     

EPMA of Porous Media: A Monte Carlo Approach

 We examine the influence of the sample porosity on the X-ray emission from mesoporous alumina bombarded with kilovolt electrons. Experimental results show that there is a loss of X-rays (Al Kα and O Kα) from those samples when compared to a fully dense mono-crystalline alumina (sapphire), which depends on the X-ray line, the measurement time and the embedding medium. Both geometrical and charging effects may be responsibl e for this signal loss. Monte Carlo simulations of the X-ray intensity emitted from porous alumina, using different models to describe sample porosity, show that the geometrical effect of porosity itself cannot account for the X-ray loss. Charge trapping effect and/or its combination with porosity is therefore expected to be the major cause of the signal loss.     

Characteristics of the Porous Structure of Cement Stone

The complex study of filtration and electric properties of the samples of cement stone with different water-cement ratios is performed. It is established that filtration coefficient decreases by 4–6 times with an increase in a pressure drop and becomes constant at pressure drops above 3–3.5 MPa. The observed effect is interpreted as a reversible change in the internal structure of cement stone upon the filtration of a liquid through the stone. It is revealed that the filtration coefficient and porosity of samples decrease with time. Total open porosity and the most probable pore radius are determined by mercury porosity technique. Coefficients of structural resistance and pore tortuosity of the samples are determined from the comparison of through and total porosity. The values of streaming potential are measured and values of surface charge and potential of the samples of cement stone are calculated.     

利用两种模型预测多孔介质中气体水合物平衡分解条件

分别利用两种热力学方法(基于逸度相等的方法与基于活度相等的方法)预测了不同多孔介质中气体水合物的平衡分解条件, 对于非水合物相, 逸度方法采用Trebble-Bishnoi (TB)方程, 而活度方法则使用Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK)方程, 对于水合物相, 两种方法都利用了van der Waals-Platteeuw模型结合Llamedo等关于毛细管力作用模型来模拟. 两种方法的预测结果与实验结果吻合, 逸度方法的预测效果要好于活度方法.     

Transport of N-CD and Pre-Sorbed Pb in Saturated Porous Media

Carbon dots (CDs) are a new type of nanomaterials of the carbon family with unique characteristics, such as their small size (e.g., <10 nm), high water solubility, low toxicity, and high metal affinity. Modification of CDs by Nitrogen functional groups (N-CDs) enhances their metal adsorption capacity. This study investigated the influences of pH (4, 6, and 9), ionic strength (1, 50, and 100 mM), and cation valency (Na⁺ and Ca²⁺) on the competitive adsorption of Pb to quartz and N-CD surfaces, the transport and retention of N-CDs in saturated porous media, and the capacity of N-CDs to mobilize pre-adsorbed Pb in quartz columns. Pb adsorption was higher on N-CDs than on quartz surfaces and decreased with increases in ionic strength (IS) and divalent cations (Ca²⁺) concentration. N-CD mobility in quartz columns was highest at pH of 9- and 1-mM monovalent cations (Na⁺) and decreased with decreases in pH and increases in ionic strength and ion valency. N-CDs mobilized pre-adsorbed Pb from quartz due to the higher adsorption affinity of Pb to N-CD than to quartz surfaces. These findings provide valuable insights into the transport, retention, and risk assessment of lead in the presence of carbon-based engineered nanoparticles.     

多孔介质中甲烷水合物的生成特性的实验研究

在定容的条件下,实验研究了甲烷水合物在不同的多孔介质中的生成特性,所使用的多孔介质平均孔径为9.03,12.95,17.96与33.20 nm,其中孔径为12.95 nm的多孔介质使用了三个粒径范围,分别为0.105～0.150 mm,0.150～0.200 mm,0.300～0.450 mm;其他孔径的多孔介质的粒径...