A LGA model for fluid flow in heterogeneous porous media

A lattice gas automaton (LGA) model is proposed to simulate fluid flow in heterogeneous porous media. Permeability fields are created by distributing scatterers (solids, grains) within the fluid flow field. These scatterers act as obstacles to flow. The loss in momentum of the fluid is directly related to the permeability of the lattice gas model. It is shown that by varying the probability of occurrence of solid nodes, the permeability of the porous medium can be changed over several orders of magnitude. To simulate fluid flow in heterogeneous permeability fields, isotropic, anisotropic, random, and correlated permeability fields are generated. The lattice gas model developed here is then used to obtain the effective permeability as well as the local fluid flow field. The method presented here can be used to simulate fluid flow in arbitrarily complex heterogeneous porous media.     

A LGA model for dispersion in heterogeneous porous media

The lattice gas automaton (LGA) model proposed in the previous paper is applied to the problem of simulating dispersion and mixing in heterogeneous porous media. We demonstrate here that tracer breakthrough profiles and longitudinal dispersion coefficients can be computed for heterogeneous porous media.     

Determination of permeability tensors for two-phase flow in homogeneous porous media: Theory

In this paper we continue previous studies of the closure problem for two-phase flow in homogeneous porous media, and we show how the closure problem can be transformed to a pair of Stokes-like boundary-value problems in terms of pressures that have units of length and velocities that have units of length squared. These are essentially geometrical boundary value problems that are used to calculate the four permeability tensors that appear in the volume averaged Stokes' equations. To determine the geometry associated with the closure problem, one needs to solve the physical problem; however, the closure problem can be solved using the same algorithm used to solve the physical problem, thus the entire procedure can be accomplished with a single numerical code.Nomenclature a a vector that maps V onto , m^-1. - A a tensor that maps V onto . - A area of the - interface contained within the macroscopic region, m². - A area of the -phase entrances and exits contained within the macroscopic region, m². - A area of the - interface contained within the averaging volume, m². - A area of the -phase entrances and exits contained within the averaging volume, m². - Bo Bond number (= (=(–)g²/). - Ca capillary number (= v/). - g gravitational acceleration, m/s². - H mean curvature, m^-1. - I unit tensor. - permeability tensor for the -phase, m². - viscous drag tensor that maps V onto V. - ^* dominant permeability tensor that maps onto v , m². - ^* coupling permeability tensor that maps onto v , m². - characteristic length scale for the -phase, m. - l characteristic length scale representing both and , m. - L characteristic length scale for volume averaged quantities, m. - n unit normal vector directed from the -phase toward the -phase. - n unit normal vector representing both n and n . - n unit normal vector representing both n and n . - P pressure in the -phase, N/m². - p superficial average pressure in the -phase, N/m². - p intrinsic average pressure in the -phase, N/m². - p –p , spatial deviation pressure for the -phase, N/m². - r ₀ radius of the averaging volume, m. - r position vector, m. - t time, s. - v fluid velocity in the -phase, m/s. - v superficial average velocity in the -phase, m/s. - v intrinsic average velocity in the -phase, m/s. - v –v , spatial deviation velocity in the -phase, m/s. - V volume of the -phase contained within the averaging volmue, m³. - averaging volume, m³. Greek Symbols V /, volume fraction of the -phase. - viscosity of the -phase, Ns/m². - density of the -phase, kg/m³. - surface tension, N/m. - (v +v ^T ), viscous stress tensor for the -phase, N/m².     

Discretization limits of lattice-Boltzmann methods for studying immiscible two-phase flow in porous media

Digital images of porous media often include features approaching the image resolution length scale. The behavior of numerical methods at low resolution is therefore important even for well-resolved systems. We study the behavior of the Shan-Chen (SC) and Rothman-Keller (RK) multicomponent lattice-Boltzmann models in situations where the fluid-fluid interfacial radius of curvature and/or the feature size of the medium approaches the discrete unit size of the computational grid. Various simple, small-scale test geometries are considered, and a drainage test is also performed in a Bentheimer sandstone sample. We find that both RK and SC models show very high ultimate limits: in ideal conditions the models can simulate static fluid configuration with acceptable accuracy in tubes as small as three lattice units across for RK model (six lattice units for SC model) and with an interfacial radius of curvature of two lattice units for RK and SC models. However, the stability of the models is affected when operating in these extreme discrete limits: in certain circumstances the models exhibit behaviors ranging from loss of accuracy to numerical instability. We discuss the circumstances where these behaviors occur and the ramifications for larger-scale fluid displacement simulations in porous media, along with strategies to mitigate the most severe effects. Overall we find that the RK model, with modern enhancements, exhibits fewer instabilities and is more suitable for systems of low fluid-fluid miscibility. The shortcomings of the SC model seem to arise predominantly from the high, strongly pressure-dependent miscibility of the two fluid components.     

Mathematical model of two-phase fluid nonlinear flow in low-permeability porous media with applications

IntroductionItisasuccessfulexampleinadevelopmentstoryofscienceandtechnologyformechanicsoffluidsinporousmediatocombinewithengineeringtechnology .Fieldsinfluencedbythemechanicsinvolveddevelopmentofoil_gasandgroundwaterresources,controlonseawaterintrusionandsubsidenceandgeologichazards,geotechnicalengineeringandbioengineering ,andairlineindustry[1～ 7].Aproblemonnonlinearflowinlow_permeabilityporousmediaisbutonlyabasiconeindifferentkindsofengineeringfields,butalsooneoffrontlineresearchfieldsofmod…     

Hydraulic radius and transport in reconstructed model three-dimensional porous media

Methods for reconstructing three-dimensional porous media from two-dimensional cross sections are evaluated in terms of the transport properties of the reconstructed systems. Two-dimensional slices are selected at random from model three-dimensional microstructures, based on penetrable spheres, and processed to create a reconstructed representation of the original system. Permeability, conductivity, and a critial pore diameter are computed for the original and reconstructed microstructures to assess the validity of the reconstruction technique. A surface curvature algorithm is utilized to further modify the reconstructed systems by matching the hydraulic radius of the reconstructed three-dimensional system to that of the two-dimensional slice. While having only minor effects on conductivity, this modification significantly improves the agreement between permeabilities and critical diameters of the original and reconstructed systems for porosities in the range of 25–40%. For lower porosities, critical pore diameter is unaffected by the curvature modification so that little improvement between original and reconstructed permeabilities is obtained by matching hydraulic radii.     

The convective instability of Maxwell fluid-saturated porous layer using a thermal non-equilibrium model

A linear stability analysis is carried out to study viscoelastic fluid convection in a horizontal porous layer heated from below and cooled from above when the solid and fluid phases are not in a local thermal equilibrium. The modified Darcy–Brinkman–Maxwell model is used for the momentum equation and two-field model is used for the energy equation each representing the solid and fluid phases separately. The conditions for the onset of stationary and oscillatory convection are obtained analytically. Linear stability analysis suggests that, there is a competition between the processes of viscoelasticity and thermal diffusion that causes the first convective instability to be oscillatory rather than stationary. Elasticity is found to destabilize the system. Besides, the effects of Darcy number, thermal non-equilibrium and the Darcy–Prandtl number on the stability of the system are analyzed in detail.     

Nonlinear flow in fractured porous media

Conventional models of filtration in fractured porous bodies involve certain unwarrantable assumptions related to the definition of basic equations and the underestimation of a connection between the effective properties of a body and both the stress system and the pressure of a flowing fluid. A new theory is developed with the help of reconsidering those underlying assumptions and of a conception of the body being subject to elastic deformations. The theory is illustrated by means of studying a particular problem of stationary filtration.     

Numerical simulation and homogenization of two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media

A mathematically rigorous method of homogenization is presented and used to analyze the equivalent behavior of transient flow of two incompressible fluids through heterogeneous media. Asymptotic expansions and H-convergence lead to the definition of a global or effective model of an equivalent homogeneous reservoir. Numerical computations to obtain the homogenized coefficients of the entire reservoir have been carried out via a finite element method. Numerical experiments involving the simulation of incompressible two-phase flow have been performed for each heterogeneous medium and for the homogenized medium as well as for other averaging methods. The results of the simulations are compared in terms of the transient saturation contours, production curves, and pressure distributions. Results obtained from the simulations with the homogenization method presented show good agreement with the heterogeneous simulations.     

Finite element modelling of two-phase heat and fluid flow in deforming porous media

This paper details a finite element model which describes the flow of two-phase fluid and heat within a deforming porous medium. The coupled governing equations are derived in terms of displacements, pore pressures and temperatures, and details of the time-stepping algorithm and thermodynamic considerations are also presented. Two numerical examples are included for verification.     

Origin and quantification of coupling between relative permeabilities for two-phase flows in porous media

An extended formulation of Darcy's two-phase law is developed on the basis of Stokes' equations. It leads, through results borrowed from the thermodynamics of irreversible processes, to a matrix of relative permeabilities. Nondiagonal coefficients of this matrix are due to the viscous coupling exerted between fluid phases, while diagonal coefficients represent the contribution of both fluid phases to the total flow, as if they were alone. The coefficients of this matrix, contrary to standard relative permeabilities, do not depend on the boundary conditions imposed on two-phase flow in porous media, such as the flow rate. This formalism is validated by comparison with experimental results from tests of two-phase flow in a square cross-section capillary tube and in porous media. Coupling terms of the matrix are found to be nonnegligible compared to diagonal terms. Relationships between standard relative permeabilities and matrix coefficients are studied and lead to an experimental way to determine the new terms for two-phase flow in porous media.     

Nonlinear fluid flow laws for orthotropic porous media

Nonlinear fluid flow laws for orthotropic porous media are written in invariant tensor form. As usual in the theory of fluid flow through porous media [1, 2], the equations contain the flow velocity up to the second power. Expressions that determine the nonlinear resistances to fluid flow are presented and it is shown that, on going over from linear to nonlinear flow laws, the asymmetry effect may manifest itself, that is, the fluid flow characteristics may differ along the same straight line in the positive and negative directions. It is shown that, as compared with the linear fluid flow law for orthotropic media when for three symmetry groups a single flow law is sufficient, in nonlinear laws the anisotropy manifestations are much more variable and each symmetry group must be described by specific equations. A system of laboratory measurements for finding the nonlinear flow characteristics for orthotropic porous media is considered.     

Stability analysis of soret-driven double-diffusive convection of Maxwell fluid in a porous medium

Stability analysis of double-diffusive convection for viscoelastic fluid with Soret effect in a porous medium is investigated using a modified-Maxwell-Darcy model. We use the linear stability analysis to investigate how the Soret parameter and the relaxation time of viscoelastic fluid effect the onset of convection and the selection of an unstable wavenumber. It is found that the Soret effect is to destabilize the system for oscillatory convection. The relaxation time also enhances the instability of the system. The effects of Soret coefficient and relaxation time on the heat transfer rate in a porous medium are studied using the nonlinear stability analysis, the variation of the Nusselt number with respect to the Rayleigh number is derived for stationary and oscillatory convection modes. Some previous results can be reduced as the special cases of the present paper.     

含液多孔介质力学问题的边界元方法

提出了一种含液多孔介质力学问题的边界元求解方法.首先将问题分解为一系列含单孔流体夹杂的子问题,然后针对每个子问题建立了流体孔体积变化率与流体压力之问的函数关系,进一步采用边界元方法建立了以各流体孔压力为基本未知量的线性代数方程组,最后根据所求出的各流体孔的压力计算含液多孔介质内各点的位移、变形和应力.为了说明方法的有效...     

Finite element solution of multi-dimensional two-phase flow through porous media with arbitrary heating conditions

Mechanistic models for flow regime transitions and drag forces proposed in an earlier work are employed to predict two-phase flow characteristics in multi-dimensional porous layers. The numerical scheme calls for elimination of velocities in favor of pressure and void fraction. The momentum equations for vapor and liquid then can be reduced to a system of two partial differential equations (PDEs) which must be solved simultaneously for pressure and void fraction.

Solutions are obtained both in two-dimensional cartesian and in axi-symmetric coordinate systems. The porous layers in both cases are composed of regions with different permeabilities. The finite element method is employed by casting the PDEs in their equivalent variational forms. Two classes of boundary conditions (specified pressure and specified fluid fluxes) can be incorporated in the solution. Volumetric heating can be included as a source term. The numerical procedure is thus suitable for a wide variety of geometry and heating conditions. Numerical solutions are also compared with available experimental data.     

An overview on nonlinear porous flow in low permeability porous media

This paper gives an overview on nonlinear porous flow in low permeability porous media, reveals the microscopic mechanisms of flows, and clarifies properties of porous flow fluids. It shows that, deviating from Darcy's linear law, the porous flow characteristics obey a nonlinear law in a low-permeability porous medium, and the viscosity of the porous flow fluid and the permeability values of water and oil are not constants. Based on these characters, a new porous flow model, which can better describe low permeability reservoir, is established. This model can describe various patterns of porous flow, as Darcy's linear law does. All the parameters involved in the model, having definite physical meanings, can be obtained directly from the experiments.     

Flux calculation at the interface between two rock types for two-phase flow in porous media

When simulating two-phase flow in porous media, one has to consider the case where there is a discontinuity in the medium. There relative permeabilities and capillary pressure functions may change and we address the problem of calculating the convective part of the numerical flux at the interface between the two rock types. Several solutions are compared.     

Variational bound finite element methods for three-dimensional creeping porous media and sedimentation flows

We present an analytico-computational methodology for the prediction of the effective properties of two types of three-dimensional particulate Stokes flows: porous media and sedimentation flows. In particular, we determine the permeability and average settling rate of media that consist of non-colloidal monodisperse solid spherical particles immersed in a highly viscous Newtonian fluid. Our methodology recasts the original problem into three scale-decoupled subproblems: the macro-, meso- and microscale subproblems. In the macroscale analysis the appropriate effective property is used to calculate the bulk quantity of interest. The mesoscale problem provides this effective property through the finite element solution of the transport equations in a periodic cell containing many particles distributed according to a prescribed joint probability density function. Finally, the microscale analysis allows us to accommodate mesoscale realizations in which two or more inclusions are in very close proximity; this geometrical stiffness is alleviated by introducing simple domain modifications that relax the mesh generation requirements while simultaneously yielding rigorous bounds for the effective property. Our methodology can treat random particle distributions as well as regular arrays; in the current paper we analyse only the latter. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dispersion in spatially periodic porous media

The method of volume averaging is applied to ordered and disordered spatially periodic porous media in two dimensions in order to compute the components of the dispersion tensor for low Peclet numbers ranging from 0.1 to 100. The effect of different parameters on the dispersion tensor is studied. The longitudinal dispersion coefficient decreases with an increase in disorder while the transverse dispersion coefficient increases. The location of discs in the unit cell influences the longitudinal dispersion coefficient significantly, compared to the transverse dispersion coefficient. Under a laminar flow regime, the dispersion coefficient is independent of Re_p. The predicted functional dependency of dispersion on the Peclet number agrees with experimental data. The predicted longitudinal dispersion coefficient in disordered porous media is smaller than that of the experimental data. However, the predicted transverse dispersion coefficient agrees with the experimental data.     

Analysis of particulate behavior in porous media

In this work, we analyze the behavior of the particle phase in the flow of a particle-laden mixture through a porous medium. An attempt is made to model the diffusion and dispersion processes, and to quantify the deviation terms that arise when intrinsic volume averaging is used to derive the flow equations.