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.     

Self-similar approximants of the permeability in heterogeneous porous media from moment equation expansions

We use a mathematical technique, the self-similar functional renormalization, to construct formulas for the average conductivity that apply for large heterogeneity, based on perturbative expansions in powers of a small parameter, usually the log-variance of the local conductivity. Using perturbation expansions up to third order and fourth order in obtained from the moment equation approach, we construct the general functional dependence of the scalar hydraulic conductivity in the regime where is of order 1 and larger than 1. Comparison with available numerical simulations show that the proposed method provides reasonable improvements over available expansions.     

Permeability of microscale fibrous porous media using the lattice Boltzmann method

The permeabilities of microscale fibrous porous media were calculated using the multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Two models of the microscale fibrous porous media were constructed based on overlapping fibers (simple cubic, body-centered cubic). Arranging the fibers in skew positions yielded two additional models comprising non-overlapping fibers (skewed simple cubic, skewed body-centered cubic). As the fiber diameter increased, the fibers acted as granular inclusions. The effects of the overlapping fibers on the media permeability were investigated. The overlapping fibers yielded permeability values that were a factor of 2.5 larger than those obtained from non-overlapping fibers, but the effects of the fiber arrangement were negligible. Two correlations were obtained for the overlapping and non-overlapping fiber models, respectively. The effects of the rarefaction and slip flow are also discussed. As the Knudsen number increased, the dimensionless permeability increased; however, the increase differed depending on the fiber arrangement. In the slip flow regime, the fiber arrangement inside the porous media became an important factor.     

Determination of permeability in fibrous porous media using the lattice Boltzmann method with application to PEM fuel cells

The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is used to simulate the flow through an idealized proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) porous transport layer (PTL) geometry generated using a Monte Carlo method. Using the calculated flow field, Darcy's law is applied and the permeability is calculated. This process is applied in both through‐ and in‐plane directions of the paper as both of these permeability values are important in computational fluid dynamics models of PEMFCs. It is shown that the LBM can be used to determine permeability in a random porous media by solving the flow in the microstructure of the material. The permeability in the through‐ and in‐plane directions is shown to be different and the anisotropic nature of the geometry creates anisotropic permeability. It is also found that fiber arrangement plays a large role in the permeability of the PTL. New correlations are presented for in‐ and though‐plane permeabilities of fibrous porous media with (0.6<ε<0.8). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diffusion of moisture in deformable porous media. Anisotropic fibrous materials

This paper presents a study on the deformation of anisotropic fibrous porous media subjected to moistening by water in the liquid phase. The deformation of the medium is studied by applying the concept of effective stress. Given the structure of the medium, the displacement of the solid matrix is not taken into account with respect to the displacement of the liquid phase. The transport equations are derived from the model proposed by Narasimhan. The transport coefficients and the relation between the variation in apparent density and effective stress are obtained by test measurements. A numerical model has been established and applied for studying drip moistening of mineral wool samples capable or incapable of deformation.Nomenclature D mass diffusion coefficient [L²t^–1] - e void fraction - g gravity acceleration [Lt^–2] - J mass transfer density [ML^–2t^–1] - K hydraulic conductivity [Lt^–1] - K _s hydraulic conductivity of the solid phase [Lt^–1] - K ^* hydraulic conductivity of the deformable porous medium [Lt^–1] - P pressure of moistening liquid [ML^–1 t^–2] - S degree of saturation - t time [t] - V speed [Lt^–1] - X horizontal coordinate [L] - Z vertical coordinate measured from the bottom of porous medium [L] - z z-coordinate [L] Greek Letters porosity - ₁ total hydric potential [L] - _g gas density [ML^–3] - ₁ liquid density [ML^–3] - ₀ apparent density [ML^–3] - _s density of the solid phase [ML^–3] - density of the moist porous medium [ML^–3] - external load [ML^–1t^–2] - effective stress [ML^–1t^–2] - bishop's parameter - matrix potential or capillary suction [L] Indices g gas - 1 moistening liquid - p direction perpendicular to fiber planes - s solid matrix - t direction parallel to fiber planes - v pore Exponent * movement of solid particles taken into account     

Study of the effect of capillary pressure on the permeability of porous media embedded with a fractal-like tree network

In this paper, the analytical expressions for permeability of (both saturated and unsaturated) porous media embedded with a fractal-like tree network are presented based on fractal theory and technique when the capillary pressure is taken into account. Both the dimensionless effective permeability and the relative permeability of the composites, which are defined as porous media embedded with a fractal-like tree network in this work, are derived and found to be a function of saturation, the capillary pressure and microstructural parameters of the networks. The relative permeabilities predicted by the present fractal model are compared with the available experimental data and a fair agreement between them is found.     

Characterization of bubble mobility in channel flow with fibrous porous media walls

In composites processing, resin is introduced into a fibrous domain to cover all the empty spaces between the fibers. It is important to extract air bubbles from the domain before the resin solidifies. Failure to do so will entrap these voids in the final part, which is detrimental to its performance. Hence, there is a need to understand bubble motion in a fibrous porous domain in which the bubbles move with the resin in channels surrounded by fibrous walls. A rising bubble model is presented that consists of a single spherical void in a cylindrical axisymmetric two-phase domain of resin and air surrounded by porous media boundaries. The motion of a bubble in a channel flow with porous boundaries is modeled by replacing the walls with a slip velocity. Focus is on how the porous media permeability influences the bubble motion. A parameter called bubble mobility is defined as the ratio of bubble rise velocity to the resin free surface velocity. Results suggest that fabric permeability and fluid properties can be optimized to increase bubble mobility and ultimately lead to reduction in void content during composites processing.     

Exponential stability of stochastic generalized porous media equations with jump

Stochastic generalized porous media equation with jump is considered. The aim is to show the moment exponential stability and the almost certain exponential stability of the stochastic equation.     

Experimental investigation of characteristic length scale in periodic heterogeneous porous media

An experimental investigation of scale-dependent dispersion in periodic heterogeneous porous media was conducted. Models with two-, three- and four-layer periodic heterogeneities were constructed to investigate the effect of heterogeneity size on the scale-dependence of dispersion. Longitudinal dispersion coefficients were determined as a function of column length by measuring the breakthrough of a continuous injection of potassium chloride tracer solution. Chloride ion concentration was monitored by recording the millivolt potential of silver/silver chloride electrodes placed at intervals along the length of the column. In all three models, dispersion appeared to be scale dependent up to a distance of approximately 20–30 times the size of the repeated heterogeneity group (hydraulic unit). Because all three models suggested a similar dependence, it was concluded that a medium with periodic heterogeneity may likely be characterized by the scale of its hydraulic unit.     

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.     

The transverse permeability of disordered fiber arrays: a statistical correlation in terms of the mean nearest interfiber spacing

In the porous media literature, unidirectional fibrous systems are broadly categorized as ordered or disordered. The former class, easily tractable for analysis purposes but limited in its relation to reality, involves square, hexagonal and various staggered arrays. The latter class involves everything else. While the dimensionless hydraulic permeability of ordered fibrous media is known to be a deterministic function of their porosity ϕ, the parameters affecting the permeability of disordered fiber arrays are not very well understood. The objective of this study is to computationally investigate flow across many unidirectional arrays of randomly placed fibers and derive a correlation between K and some measure of their microstructure. In the process, we explain the wide scatter in permeability values observed computationally as well as experimentally. This task is achieved using a parallel implementation of the Boundary Element Method (BEM). Over 600 simulations are carried out in two-dimensional geometries consisting of 576 fiber cross-sections placed within a square unit cell by a Monte Carlo procedure. The porosity varies from 0.45 to 0.90. The computed permeabilities are compared with earlier theoretical results and experimental data. Analysis of the computational results reveals that the permeability of disordered arrays with ϕ < 0.7 is reduced as the non-uniformity of the fiber distribution increases. This reduction can be substantial at low porosities. The key finding of this study is a direct correlation between K and the mean nearest inter-fiber spacing , the latter depending on the microstructure of the fibrous medium.     

基于渗透率连续变化的低渗透多孔介质非线性渗流模型

基于低渗透多孔介质渗透率的渐变理论,确定了能精确描述低渗透多孔介质渗流特征的非线性运动方程,并通过实验数据拟合．验证了非线性运动方程的有效性。非线性渗流速度关于压力梯度具有连续-阶导数,方便于工程计算;由此建立了低渗透多孔介质的单相非线性径向渗流数学模型,并巧妙采用高效的Douglas-Jones预估一校正有限差分方法求得了其数值解。数值结果分析表明：非线性渗流模型为介于拟线性渗流模型和达西渗流模型之间的一种中间模型或理想模型,非线性渗流模型和拟线性渗流模型均存在动边界;拟线性渗流高估了启动压力梯度的影响,使得动边界的移动速度比实际情况慢得多;非线性越强,地层压力下降的范围越小,地层压力梯度越陡峭,影响地层压力的敏感性减弱,而影响地层压力梯度的敏感性增强。     

考虑耦合质量影响的饱和多孔介质动力响应分析的显式有限元法

根据Biot饱和多孔介质动力方程,采用解耦技术,提出了考虑耦合质量Pd影响的饱和多孔介质中动力响应分析的显式有限元法。文中建立并推导了显式有限元的公式,编制了相应的计算程序并进行了实例计算。计算结果与解析解进行了对比,两者符合很好,表明本文方法是处理饱和多孔介质动力问题的一种有效方法。文中还分析了耦合质量ρa对固相和液相动位移的影响。     

Body waves in fractured porous media saturated by two immiscible newtonian fluids

A study of body waves in fractured porous media saturated by two fluids is presented. We show the existence of four compressional and one rotational waves. The first and third compressional waves are analogous to the fast and slow compressional waves in Biot's theory. The second compressional wave arises because of fractures, whereas the fourth compressional wave is associated with the pressure difference between the fluid phases in the porous blocks. The effects of fractures on the phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of body waves are numerically investigated for a fractured sandstone saturated by air and water phases. All compressional waves except the first compressional wave are diffusive-type waves, i.e., highly attenuated and do not exist at low frequencies.Now at Izmir Institute of Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Gaziosmanpasa Bulvari, No.16, Cankaya, Izmir, Turkey.     

Rayleigh waves in anisotropic porous media and the polarization vector method

In this paper, the propagation of Rayleigh waves in orthotropic non-viscous fluid-saturated porous half-spaces with sealed surface-pores and with impervious surface is investigated. The main aim of the investigation is to derive explicit secular equations and based on them to examine the effect of the material parameters and the boundary conditions on the propagation of Rayleigh waves. By employing the method of polarization vector the explicit secular equations have been derived. These equations recover the ones corresponding to Rayleigh waves propagating in purely elastic half-spaces. It is shown from numerical examples that the Rayleigh wave velocity depends strongly on the porosity, the elastic constants, the anisotropy, the boundary conditions and it differs considerably from the one corresponding to purely elastic half-spaces. Remarkably, in the fluid saturated porous half-spaces, Rayleigh waves may travel with a larger velocity than that of the shear wave, a fact that is impossible for the purely elastic half-spaces.     

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Modeling of Transverse Flow in Randomly Aligned Fibrous Porous Media

The Lagrangian smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is employed to obtain a meso-/micro-scopic pore-scale insight into the transverse flow across the randomly aligned fibrous porous media in a 2D domain. Fluid is driven by an external body force, and a square domain with periodic boundary conditions imposed at both the streamwise and transverse flow direction is assumed. The porous matrix is established by randomly embedding a certain number of fibers in the square domain. Fibers are represented by position-fixed SPH particles, which exert viscous forces upon, and contribute to the density variations of, the nearby fluid particles. An additional repulsive force, similar in form to the 12-6 Lennard-Jones potential between atoms, is introduced to consider the no-penetrating restraint prescribed by the solid pore structure. This force is initiated from the fixed solid material particle and may act on its neighboring moving fluid particles. Fluid flow is visualized by plotting the local velocity vector field; the meandering fluid flow around the porous microstructures always follow the paths of least resistance. The simulated steady-state flow field is further used to calculate the macroscopic permeability. The dimensionless permeability (normalized by the squared characteristic dimension of the fiber cross section) exhibits an exponential dependence on the porosity within the intermediate porosity range, and the derived dimensionless permeability—porosity relation is found to have only minor dependence on either the relative arrangement condition among fibers or the fiber cross section (shape or area).     

Mixed convection of non-newtonian fluids from a vertical plate embedded in a porous medium

This paper investigates mixed free and forced convection of non-Newtonian fluids from a vertical isothermal plate embedded in a homogenous porous medium. A mathematical model is developed based on the modified Darcy's law and boundary-layer approximations, and the exact similarity solution is obtained as well as an integral solution. These two solutions agree within 3% for aiding flows and 10% for opposing flows. It is found that, non-Newtonian characteristics of fluids have appreciable influences on velocity profiles, temperature distributions and flow regimes.     

Experimental investigation of capillary pressure effects on immiscible displacement in lensed and layered porous media

This paper reports the results of extensive experimental studies of the effects of well-defined heterogeneous porous media on immiscible flooding. The heterogeneities were layers and lenses, with some of the lenses being a wettability contrast. Drainage and imbibition displacements, with and without an initial residual fluid saturation, were carried out at a variety of flow rates on layered and lensed two-dimensional glass beads models of the size of a typical large core test (58×10×0.6 cm). These displacements were followed photographically and the effluent saturation profiles recorded. In most of the experiments the glass beads were water-wet, but in some the lens beads were coated with a water repellent chemical. In all experiments, the displacement fronts became highly irregular due to the different capillary pressures acting in the different areas of the models. In this paper, these displacements are fully reported and their implications for reservoir simulation and for interpretation of laboratory core tests, where the inner heterogeneities are not known, are discussed.     

渗流气体滑脱现象与渗透率变化的关系

气体在致密多孔介质中低速渗流时存在着因气体分子碰撞岩壁而引起的滑脱现象，它由介质的孔隙结构和气体分子的平均自由程共同决定。该现象使气测渗透率大于孔隙介质的绝对渗透率。介质中气体的低速渗流为黏滞流与滑脱流组成，各自所占比例与气体分子按自由程的分布有关。理论计算得到了低速气体渗流的气测渗透率Kg与绝对渗透率K0比值的关系式，实验结果与理论分析吻合。     

A two-scale non-local model of swelling porous media incorporating ion size correlation effects

A new two-scale model is proposed for derivation of the macroscopic modified effective stress principle for swelling porous media saturated by an electrolyte solution containing finite size ions. A non-local pore-scale model is developed within the framework of Statistical Mechanics in conjunction with the thermodynamic approach based on Density Functional Theory leading to a nonlinear integral Fredholm equation of second kind for the ion/nanopore correlation function coupled with Poisson problem for the electric double layer potential. When combined with the fluid equilibrium condition such non-local electrochemical problem gives rise to a constitutive law for the fluid stress tensor in terms of the disjoining pressure which is decomposed into several components of different nature. The homogenization procedure based on formal asymptotic expansions is applied to up-scale the model to the macroscale leading to a two-scale constitutive law for the swelling pressure appearing in the modified effective stress principle with improved accuracy incorporating the deviations from the Gouy–Chapman Poisson–Boltzmann-based theory due to the finite size short-range ion–ion correlation effects. The integro-differential problem posed in a periodic cell is discretized by collocation schemes. Numerical results are obtained for a stratified arrangement of parallel macromolecules showing that the effects of ion–ion correlation forces give rise to anomalous attraction patterns between the particles for divalent ions.