Effect of network topology on two-phase imbibition relative permeability

In a previous study Arns et al. (2004, Transport Porous Media 55, 21–46) we considered the role of topology on drainage relative permeability curves computed using network models derived from a suite of tomographic images of Fontainebleau sandstone. The present study extends the analysis to more complex imbibition displacements where the non-wetting fluid can be disconnected by snap-off as a result of swelling of wetting films in the corners of pores and throats. In contrast to the findings for drainage displacements which showed that relative permeabilities are significantly affected by network topology, the present study shows that the effect of topology on imbibition relative permeabilities depends on the level of snap-off. For strongly wetting conditions where snap-off dominates the displacement the effect of network topology is significantly smaller than for weakly wet conditions where snap-off is suppressed. For contact angles sufficiently large to completely suppress snap-off, the effect of topology on imbibition relative permeabilities is similar to that for drainage displacements. The findings are valid for random networks and for networks displaying short-range pore–throat and longer range spatial correlations.     

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.     

Experimental study of two-phase flow in three sandstones. II. Capillary pressure curve measurement and relative permeability pore space capillary models

By means of the porous plate method and mercury porosimetry intrusion tests, capillary pressure curves of three different sandstones were measured. The testing results have been exploited jointly with three relative permeability models of the pore space capillary type (Burdine’s model type), these models are widely used and in rather distinct fields. To do so, capillary pressure has been correlated to saturation degree using six of the most popular relations encountered in the literature. Model predictions were systematically compared to the experimentally measured relative permeabilities presented in the first part of this work. Comparison indicated that the studied models underestimate the water relative permeability and over-estimate that of the non-wetting phase. Moreover, this modeling proves to be unable to locate the significant points that are the limits of fields of saturation where the variation of the relative permeabilities becomes consequent. We also showed that, if pore structure is modeled as a “bundle of capillary tubes”, model predications are independent of the capillary pressure curve measuring method.     

Effect of diameter on two-phase pressure drop in narrow tubes

The effect of tube diameter on two-phase frictional pressure drop was investigated in circular tubes with inner diameters of 0.6, 1.2, 1.7, 2.6 and 3.4 mm using air and water. The gas and liquid superficial velocity ranges were 0.01-50 m/s and 0.01-3 m/s, respectively. The gas and liquid flow rates were measured and the two-phase flow pattern images were recorded using high-speed CMOS camera. Unique flow patterns were observed for smaller tube diameters. Pressure drop was measured and compared with various existing models such as homogeneous model and Lockhart-Martinelli model. It appears that the dominant effect of surface tension shrinking the flow stratification in the annular regime is important. It was found that existing models are inadequate in predicting the pressure drop for all the flow regimes visualized. Based on the analysis of present experimental frictional pressure drop data a correlation is proposed for predicting Chisholm parameter “C” in slug annular flow pattern. For all other flow regimes Chisholm’s original correlation appears to be adequate except the bubbly flow regime where homogeneous model works well. The modification results in overall mean deviation of pressure drop within 25% for all tube diameters considered. This approach of flow regime based modification of liquid gas interaction parameter appears to be the key to pressure drop prediction in narrow tubes.     

On the use of conventional cocurrent and countercurrent effective permeabilities to estimate the four generalized permeability coefficients which arise in coupled,two-phase flow

In the case of coupled, two-phase flow of fluids in porous media, the governing equations show that there are four independent generalized permeability coefficients which have to be measured separately. In order to specify these four coefficients at a specific saturation, it is necessary to conduct two types of flow experiments. The two types of flow experiments used in this study are cocurrent and countercurrent, steady-state permeability experiments. It is shown that, by taking this approach, it is possible to define the four generalized permeability coefficients in terms of the conventional cocurrent and countercurrent effective permeabilities for each phase. It is demonstrated that a given generalized phase permeability falls about midway between the conventional, cocurrent effective permeability for that phase, and that for the countercurrent flow of the same phase. Moreover, it is suggested that the conventional effective permeability for a given phase can be interpreted as arising out of the effects of two types of viscous drag: that due to the flow of a given phase over the solid surfaces in the porous medium and that due to momentum transfer across the phase 1-phase 2 interfaces in the porous medium. The magnitude of the viscous coupling is significant, contributing at least 15% to the total conventional cocurrent effective permeability for both phases. Finally, it is shown that the nontraditional generalized permeabilities which arise out of viscous coupling effects cannot equal one another, even when the viscosity ratio is unity and the surface tension is zero.     

Effect of temperature gradient within a solid particle on the rotation and oscillation modes in solid-dispersed two-phase flows

Liquid–solid two-phase flow with heat transfer is simulated, and the effect of temperature gradient within a solid particle on the particle behaviour and heat transfer is studied. The interaction between fluid and particles is considered with our original immersed solid approach on a rectangular grid system. The local heat flux at the fluid–solid interface is described with an anisotropic heat conductivity matrix, and the governing equation of temperature is time-updated with an implicit treatment for the diffusion term. The method is applied to a 2-D natural convection flow of a relatively low Rayleigh number including multiple particles. Heat transfer and particle behaviours are studied for different solid heat conductivities (ratio to the fluid conductivity ranging between 10⁻³ and 10³) and solid volume fractions. Under a condition of relatively low heat conductivity ratio, the particles show a simple circulating flow. By increasing the heat conductivity ratio, a transition of the particulate flow is observed to oscillation mode around the domain centre due to the buoyancy force as a restitution force. The oscillation period is found to vary with the heat conductivity ratio, and it is related to the time scales for the heat transfer via fluid and solid.     

Rearrangement of fine particles in porous media causing reduction of permeability and formation of preferred pathways of flow: Experimental findings and a conceptual model

The rearrangement of matrix configuration due to the redistribution of clay particles was studied by introducing different suspensions into porous media. Clay (kaolinite) with low CEC (cation exchange capacity) and small flocs of high CEC clay (smectite) accumulated in regions of slow flow. In some experiments this was followed by rapid accumulation in regions of high velocity, impairing flow to a considerable degree. Clay with high CEC formed more voluminous structures which could bridge over a passage and impair the flow.In either case, whether small or large units of clay are involved, the final flow occurred mainly through open, preferred pathways. Such processes of redistribution and appearance of flow pathways may occur in subsurface porous media aquifers where forced gradients exist (e.g. in aquifers near the perforation of pumping wells and in places where large quantity of water are naturally or artificially recharged and in producing gas and oil fields).     

Effect of streamwise structures on heat transfer in a hypersonic flow in a compression corner

Coefficients of heat transfer to the surface in a laminar hypersonic flow (M _∞ = 21) over plane and axisymmetric models with a compression corner are presented. These coefficients are measured by an infrared camera. The parameters varied in the experiments are the angle of the compression corner and the distance to the corner point. Characteristics of the flow with and without separation in the corner configuration are obtained. The measured results are compared with direct numerical simulations performed by solving the full unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. Experiments with controlled streamwise structures inserted into the flow are described. A substantial increase in the maximum values of the heat-transfer coefficient in the region of flow reattachment after developed laminar separation is demonstrated. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 112–120, July–August, 2009.     

The effect of pore-structure on hysteresis in relative permeability and capillary pressure: Pore-level modeling

The effect of pore-structure upon two-phase relative permeability and capillary pressure of strongly-wetting systems at low capillary number is simulated. A pore-level model consisting of a network of pore-bodies interconnected by pore-throats is used to calculate scanning loops of hysteresis between primary drainage, imbibition and secondary drainage. The pore-body to pore-throat aspect ratio strongly influences the pattern of hysteresis. Changes in the patterns of hysteresis often attributed to consolidation can be understood in terms of changes in aspect ratio. Correlation between the sizes of neighboring pore-throats affects the shape of the relative permeability curves, while the width and shape of the pore-size distribution have only a minor influence.     

A one-dimensional moving grid solution for the coupled non-linear equations governing multiphase flow in porous media. 2: Example simulations and sensitivity analysis

This paper presents numerical examples for the moving grid finite element algorithm derived in Part Ito solve the non-linear coupled set of PDEs governing immiscible multiphase flow in porous media in one dimension. Examples include single- and double-front simulations for two- and three-phase flow regimes and incorporating a mass sink. The modelling approach is shown to achieve significant savings in computation time and memory allocation when compared with fixed grid solutions of equivalent accuracy. This work includes sensitivity analyses for the parameters which are incorporated in the grid adaptation method, including the curvature weights, artificial viscosity and artificial repulsive force. It is found that the curvature weights are exponential functions of the negative ratio of the square root of the domain length to the number of discrete nodes. These weighting parameters are also shown to depend upon the shape of the front. On the basis of the examined simulations, it is recommended that artificial viscosity be neglected in the solution of the coupled non-linear set of PDEs governing multiphase flow in porous media. Similarly, use of a repulsive force is found to be unnecessary in simulations involving the migration of two liquid phases. For multiphase flows incorporating a gas phase it is recommended to use a non-zero value for the repulslive force to avoid development of an ill-conditioned nodal distribution matrix. An equation to evaluate the repulsive force under these circumstances is suggested.     

An experimental study of drag on a single tube and on a tube in an array under two-phase cross flow

In this work, the drag coefficient and the void fraction around a tube subjected to two-phase cross flow were studied for a single tube and for a tube placed in an array. The drag coefficients were determined by measuring the pressure distribution around the perimeter of the tube. Single tube drag data were taken when the tube was held both rigidly and flexibly. The test tube was made of acrylic and was 2.2 cm in diameter and 20 cm in length. In the experiments, liquid Reynolds number ranged from 430 to 21,900 for the single tube and liquid gap Reynolds number ranged from 32,900 and 61,600 for the tube placed in a triangular array. Free stream void fraction was varied from 0 to 0.4. At low Reynolds numbers, the ratio of two-phase to single-phase drag coefficient is found to be a strong function of εGr/Re2. However, at high Reynolds numbers only void fraction is the important parameter. Empirical correlations have been developed for the ratio of two-phase drag on a single tube and on a tube placed in an array.     

Positive Effect of Flow Velocity on Gas–Condensate Relative Permeability: Network Modelling and Comparison with Experimental Results

Positive velocity dependency of relative permeability of gas–condensate systems, which has been observed in many different core experiments, is now well acknowledged. The above behaviour, which is due to two-phase flow coupling in condensing systems at low interfacial tension (IFT) conditions, was simulated using a 3D pore network model. The steady-dynamic bond network model developed for this purpose was also equipped with a novel anchoring technique, which was based on the equivalent hydraulic length concept adopted from fluid flow through pipes. The available rock data on the co-ordination number, capillary pressure, absolute permeability, porosity and one set of measured relative permeability curves were utilised to anchor the capillary, volumetric and flow characteristics of the constructed network model to those properties of the real core sample. Then the model was used to predict the effective permeability values at other IFT and velocity levels. There is a reasonable quantitative agreement between the predicted and measured relative permeability values affected by the coupling rate effect.     

Pore-Level Modeling of Gas and Condensate Flow in Two- and Three-Dimensional Pore Networks: Pore Size Distribution Effects on the Relative Permeability of Gas and Condensate

We present a mechanistic model of retrograde condensation processes in two- and three-dimensional capillary tube networks under gravitational forces. Condensate filling-emptying cycles in pore segments and gas connection–isolation cycles are included. With the pore-level distribution of gas and condensate in hand, we determine their corresponding relative permeabilities. Details of pore space and displacement are subsumed in pore conductances. Solving for the pressure field in each phase, we find a single effective conductance for each phase as a function of condensate saturation. Along with the effective conductance for the saturated network, the relative permeability for each phase is calculated. Our model porous media are two- and three-dimensional regular networks of pore segments with distributed size and square cross-section. With a Monte Carlo sampling we find the optimum network size to avoid size effects and then we investigate the effect of network dimensionality and pore size distribution on the relative permeabilities of gas and condensate.