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.     

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.     

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…     

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.     

Two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media: The method of large-scale averaging

The analysis of two-phase flow in porous media begins with the Stokes equations and an appropriate set of boundary conditions. Local volume averaging can then be used to produce the well known extension of Darcy's law for two-phase flow. In addition, a method of closure exists that can be used to predict the individual permeability tensors for each phase. For a heterogeneous porous medium, the local volume average closure problem becomes exceedingly complex and an alternate theoretical resolution of the problem is necessary. This is provided by the method of large-scale averaging which is used to average the Darcy-scale equations over a region that is large compared to the length scale of the heterogeneities. In this paper we present the derivation of the large-scale averaged continuity and momentum equations, and we develop a method of closure that can be used to predict the large-scale permeability tensors and the large-scale capillary pressure. The closure problem is limited by the principle of local mechanical equilibrium. This means that the local fluid distribution is determined by capillary pressure-saturation relations and is not constrained by the solution of an evolutionary transport equation. Special attention is given to the fact that both fluids can be trapped in regions where the saturation is equal to the irreducible saturation, in addition to being trapped in regions where the saturation is greater than the irreducible saturation. Theoretical results are given for stratified porous media and a two-dimensional model for a heterogeneous porous medium.     

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.     

Two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media III: Laboratory experiments for flow parallel to a stratified system

Two-phase flow in stratified porous media is a problem of central importance in the study of oil recovery processes. In general, these flows are parallel to the stratifications, and it is this type of flow that we have investigated experimentally and theoretically in this study. The experiments were performed with a two-layer model of a stratified porous medium. The individual strata were composed of Aerolith-10, an artificial: sintered porous medium, and Berea sandstone, a natural porous medium reputed to be relatively homogeneous. Waterflooding experiments were performed in which the saturation field was measured by gamma-ray absorption. Data were obtained at 150 points distributed evenly over a flow domain of 0.1 × 0.6 m. The slabs of Aerolith-10 and Berea sandstone were of equal thickness, i.e. 5 centimeters thick. An intensive experimental study was carried out in order to accurately characterize the individual strata; however, this effort was hampered by both local heterogeneities and large-scale heterogeneities.The theoretical analysis of the waterflooding experiments was based on the method of large-scale averaging and the large-scale closure problem. The latter provides a precise method of discussing the crossflow phenomena, and it illustrates exactly how the crossflow influences the theoretical prediction of the large-scale permeability tensor. The theoretical analysis was restricted to the quasi-static theory of Quintard and Whitaker (1988), however, the dynamic effects described in Part I (Quintard and Whitaker 1990a) are discussed in terms of their influence on the crossflow.Roman Letters A interfacial area between the -region and the -region contained within V, m² - a vector that maps onto , m - b vector that maps onto , m - b vector that maps onto , m - B second order tensor that maps onto , m² - C second order tensor that maps onto , m² - E energy of the gamma emitter, keV - f fractional flow of the -phase - g gravitational vector, m/s² - h characteristic length of the large-scale averaging volume, m - H height of the stratified porous medium , m - i unit base vector in the x-direction - K local volume-averaged single-phase permeability, m² - K - {K}, large-scale spatial deviation permeability - { K} large-scale volume-averaged single-phase permeability, m² - K ^* large-scale single-phase permeability, m² - K ^** equivalent large-scale single-phase permeability, m² - K local volume-averaged -phase permeability in the -region, m² - K local volume-averaged -phase permeability in the -region, m² - K - {K } , large-scale spatial deviation for the -phase permeability, m² - K ^* large-scale permeability for the -phase, m² - l thickness of the porous medium, m - l characteristic length for the -region, m - l characteristic length for the -region, m - L length of the experimental porous medium, m - characteristic length for large-scale averaged quantities, m - n outward unit normal vector for the -region - n outward unit normal vector for the -region - n unit normal vector pointing from the -region toward the -region (n = - n ) - N number of photons - p pressure in the -phase, N/m² - p ₀ reference pressure in the -phase, N/m² - local volume-averaged intrinsic phase average pressure in the -phase, N/m² - large-scale volume-averaged pressure of the -phase, N/m² - large-scale intrinsic phase average pressure in the capillary region of the -phase, N/m² - - , large-scale spatial deviation for the -phase pressure, N/m² - p_c , capillary pressure, N/m² - p _c capillary pressure in the -region, N/m² - p capillary pressure in the -region, N/m² - {p _c } ^c large-scale capillary pressure, N/m² - q -phase velocity at the entrance of the porous medium, m/s - q -phase velocity at the entrance of the porous medium, m/s - S_wi irreducible water saturation - S /, local volume-averaged saturation for the -phase - S _i initial saturation for the -phase - S _r residual saturation for the -phase - S ^* { }^*/}^*, large-scale average saturation for the -phase - S saturation for the -phase in the -region - S saturation for the -phase in the -region - t time, s - v -phase velocity vector, m/s - v local volume-averaged phase average velocity for the -phase, m/s - {v } large-scale averaged velocity for the -phase, m/s - v local volume-averaged phase average velocity for the -phase in the -region, m/s - v local volume-averaged phase average velocity for the -phase in the -region, m/s - v -{v } , large-scale spatial deviation for the -phase velocity, m/s - v -{v } , large-scale spatial deviation for the -phase velocity in the -region, m/s - v -{v } , large-scale spatial deviation for the -phase velocity in the -region, m/s - V large-scale averaging volume, m³ - y position vector relative to the centroid of the large-scale averaging volume, m - {y}^c large-scale average of y over the capillary region, m Greek Letters local porosity - local porosity in the -region - local porosity in the -region - local volume fraction for the -phase - local volume fraction for the -phase in the -region - local volume fraction for the -phase in the -region - {}^* { }^*+{ }^*, large-scale spatial average volume fraction - { }^* large-scale spatial average volume fraction for the -phase - mass density of the -phase, kg/m³ - mass density of the -phase, kg/m³ - viscosity of the -phase, N s/m² - viscosity of the -phase, Ns/m² - V /V , volume fraction of the -region ( + =1) - V /V , volume fraction of the -region ( + =1) - attenuation coefficient to gamma-rays, m^-1 - -      

Formation factor and tortuosity of homogeneous porous media

In this paper, volume averaging in porous media is applied to the microscopic electric charge conservation equation (differential form of Ohm's law) and an expression is derived for the formation factor of a homogeneous porous medium saturated with an electrically conductive fluid. This expression consists of two terms; the first term involves the integral of the current density over the fluid volume and the second term involves the integral of the electric potential over the solid-fluid interface. The physical meaning of the two terms is discussed with the help of three idealized porous media. The results for these media indicate a definite relation between the second term and tortuosity. These results also demonstrate the simplistic nature of the classical definition of the tortuosity as a ratio of geometric lengths. An exact relation between the formation factor and tortuosity is presented. It is shown that the assumed equivalence of the electrical and hydraulic tortuosities is not valid. The general application of the expression for the formation factor is discussed briefly.     

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.     

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.     

Steady-state two-phase flow through planar and nonplanar model porous media

Transport in Porous Media - A comparative experimental study of ‘steady-state’ two-phase flow in two types of model porous media is made to determine the effects of nonplanarity on the...     

On tortuosity and areosity tensors for porous media

An average streamwise channel velocity is proposed as a more accurate representation of the actual intrapore velocity than the intrinsic phase average velocity. A relationship is derived between the average streamwise channel velocity and the interstitial velocity and superficial velocity. New definitions of tortuosity and areosity as second-order tensors are proposed for porous media in general. Novel names, semantically in line with the respective physical meanings, are proposed for these quantities. The definitions produce results which conform with several other published results and are applicable to anisotropic media in general.     

Two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media II: Numerical experiments for flow perpendicular to a stratified system

In this work, we make use of numerical experiments to explore our original theoretical analysis of two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media (Quintard and Whitaker, 1988). The calculations were carried out with a two-region model of a stratified system, and the parameters were chosen be consistent with practical problems associated with groundwater flows and petroleum reservoir recovery processes. The comparison between theory (the large-scaled averaged equations) and experiment (numerical solution of the local volume averaged equations) has allowed us to identify conditions for which the quasi-static theory is acceptable and conditions for which a dynamic theory must be used. Byquasi-static we mean the following: (1) The local capillary pressure,everywhere in the averaging volume, can be set equal to the large-scale capillary pressure evaluated at the centroid of the averaging volume and (2) the large-scale capillary pressure is given by the difference between the large-scale pressures in the two immiscible phases, and is therefore independent of gravitational effects, flow effects and transient effects. Bydynamic, we simply mean a significant departure from the quasi-static condition, thus dynamic effects can be associated with gravitational effects, flow effects and transient effects. To be more precise about the quasi-static condition we need to refer to the relation between the local capillary pressure and the large-scale capillary pressure derived in Part I (Quintard and Whitaker, 1990). Herep _c ¦_y represents the local capillary pressure evaluated at a positiony relative to the centroid of the large-scale averaging volume, and {p _c }¦_x represents the large-scale capillary pressure evaluated at the centroid.In addition to{p _c } ^c being evaluated at the centroid, all averaged terms on the right-hand side of Equation (1) are evaluated at the centroid. We can now write the equations describing the quasi-static condition as , , This means that the fluids within an averaging volume are distributed according to the capillary pressure-saturation relationwith the capillary pressure held constant. It also means that the large-scale capillary pressure is devoid of any dynamic effects. Both of these conditions represent approximations (see Section 6 in Part I) and one of our main objectives in this paper is to learn something about the efficacy of these approximations. As a secondary objective we want to explore the influence of dynamic effects in terms of our original theory. In that development only the first four terms on the right hand side of Equation (1) appeared in the representation for the local capillary pressure. However, those terms will provide an indication of the influence of dynamic effects on the large-scale capillary pressure and the large-scale permeability tensor, and that information provides valuable guidance for future studies based on the theory presented in Part I.Roman Letters A scalar that maps {}*/t onto - A scalar that maps {}*/t onto - A interfacial area between the -region and the -region contained within, m² - A interfacial area between the -region and the -region contained within, m² - A interfacial area between the -region and the -region contained within, m² - a vector that maps ({}*/t) onto , m - a vector that maps ({}*/t) onto , m - b vector that maps ({p}– g) onto , m - b vector that maps ({p}– g) onto , m - B second order tensor that maps ({p}– g) onto , m² - B second order tensor that maps ({p}– g) onto , m² - c vector that maps ({}*/t) onto , m - c vector that maps ({}*/t) onto , m - C second order tensor that maps ({}*/t) onto , m² - C second order tensor that maps ({}*/t) onto . m² - D third order tensor that maps ( ) onto , m - D third order tensor that maps ( ) onto , m - D second order tensor that maps ( ) onto , m² - D second order tensor that maps ( ) onto , m² - E third order tensor that maps () onto , m - E third order tensor that maps () onto , m - E second order tensor that maps () onto - E second order tensor that maps () onto - p _c =(), capillary pressure relationship in the-region - p _c =(), capillary pressure relationship in the-region - g gravitational vector, m/s² - largest of either or - - - i unit base vector in thex-direction - I unit tensor - K local volume-averaged-phase permeability, m² - K local volume-averaged-phase permeability in the-region, m² - K local volume-averaged-phase permeability in the-region, m² - {K } large-scale intrinsic phase average permeability for the-phase, m² - K –{K }, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase permeability, m² - K –{K }, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase permeability in the-region, m² - K –{K }, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase permeability in the-region, m² - K ^* large-scale permeability for the-phase, m² - L characteristic length associated with local volume-averaged quantities, m - characteristic length associated with large-scale averaged quantities, m - I _i i = 1, 2, 3, lattice vectors for a unit cell, m - l characteristic length associated with the-region, m - ; characteristic length associated with the-region, m - l _H characteristic length associated with a local heterogeneity, m - - n unit normal vector pointing from the-region toward the-region (n =–n ) - n unit normal vector pointing from the-region toward the-region (n =–n ) - p pressure in the-phase, N/m² - p local volume-averaged intrinsic phase average pressure in the-phase, N/m² - {p } large-scale intrinsic phase average pressure in the capillary region of the-phase, N/m² - p local volume-averaged intrinsic phase average pressure for the-phase in the-region, N/m² - p local volume-averaged intrinsic phase average pressure for the-phase in the-region, N/m² - p –{p }, large scale spatial deviation for the-phase pressure, N/m² - p –{p }, large scale spatial deviation for the-phase pressure in the-region, N/m² - p –{p }, large scale spatial deviation for the-phase pressure in the-region, N/m² - P _c p –{p }, capillary pressure, N/m² - {p_c}^c large-scale capillary pressure, N/m² - r ₀ radius of the local averaging volume, m - R ₀ radius of the large-scale averaging volume, m - r position vector, m - , m - S /, local volume-averaged saturation for the-phase - S ^* {}*{}*, large-scale average saturation for the-phaset time, s - t time, s - u , m - U , m² - v -phase velocity vector, m/s - v local volume-averaged phase average velocity for the-phase in the-region, m/s - v local volume-averaged phase average velocity for the-phase in the-region, m/s - {v } large-scale intrinsic phase average velocity for the-phase in the capillary region of the-phase, m/s - {v } large-scale phase average velocity for the-phase in the capillary region of the-phase, m/s - v –{v }, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase velocity, m/s - v –{v }, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase velocity in the-region, m/s - v –{v }, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase velocity in the-region, m/s - V local averaging volume, m³ - V volume of the-phase in, m³ - V large-scale averaging volume, m³ - V capillary region for the-phase within, m³ - V capillary region for the-phase within, m³ - V _c intersection of m³ - V volume of the-region within, m³ - V volume of the-region within, m³ - V () capillary region for the-phase within the-region, m³ - V () capillary region for the-phase within the-region, m³ - V () , region in which the-phase is trapped at the irreducible saturation, m³ - y position vector relative to the centroid of the large-scale averaging volume, m Greek Letters local volume-averaged porosity - local volume-averaged volume fraction for the-phase - local volume-averaged volume fraction for the-phase in the-region - local volume-averaged volume fraction for the-phase in the-region - local volume-averaged volume fraction for the-phase in the-region (This is directly related to the irreducible saturation.) - {} large-scale intrinsic phase average volume fraction for the-phase - {} large-scale phase average volume fraction for the-phase - {}* large-scale spatial average volume fraction for the-phase - –{}, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase volume fraction - –{}, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase volume fraction in the-region - –{}, large-scale spatial deviation for the-phase volume fraction in the-region - a generic local volume-averaged quantity associated with the-phase - mass density of the-phase, kg/m³ - mass density of the-phase, kg/m³ - viscosity of the-phase, N s/m² - viscosity of the-phase, N s/m² - interfacial tension of the - phase system, N/m - , N/m - , volume fraction of the-phase capillary (active) region - , volume fraction of the-phase capillary (active) region - , volume fraction of the-region ( + =1) - , volume fraction of the-region ( + =1) - {p }– g, N/m³ - {p }– g, N/m³     

Experimental determination of the flow transport coefficients in the coupled equations of two-phase flow in porous media

The transport coefficients in the coupled equations of two-phase flow are defined if the pressure gradient in one of the two flowing fluids is equal to zero. This definition has been used in experiments with oil and water in a sandpack and the four transport coefficients have been measured over wide water saturation ranges. The values of the cross coefficients were found to be significant as they ranged from 10 to 35% of the value of the effective permeability to water and from 5 to 15% of the effective permeability to oil, respectively.     

Nonisothermal immiscible compressible thermodynamically consistent two-phase flow in porous media

In this paper, we introduce a new model of the nonisothermal immiscible compressible thermodynamically consistent two-phase flow in a porous domain Ω. This model includes the term describing the skeleton and interphase boundary energies. In the framework of the model, we derive the equation for the entropy function in the whole Ω and then obtain the estimate of the maximal entropy of the system.     

Vertical two-phase flow in porous media

New concepts are introduced to describe single-component two-phase flow under gravity. The phases can flow simultaneously in opposite directions (counterflow), but information travels either up or down, depending on the sign of the wavespeedC. Wavespeed, saturation and other quantities are defined on a two-sheeted surface over the mass-energy flow plane, the sheets overlapping in the counterflow region. A saturation shock is represented as an instantaneous displacement along a line of constant volume fluxJ _Q in the flow plane. Most shocks are of the wetting type, that is, they leave the environment more saturated after their passage. When flow is horizontal all shocks are wetting, but it is a feature of vertical two-phase flow that for sufficiently small mass and energy flows there also exist drying shocks associated with lower final saturations.     

Interfacial drag of two-phase flow in porous media

In this paper, the influence of the interfacial drag on the pressure loss of combined liquid and vapour flow through particulate porous media is investigated. Motivation for this is the coolability of fragmented corium which may be expected during a severe accident in a nuclear power plant. Cooling water is evaporated due to the particles decay heat. To reach coolability, the outflowing steam has to be replaced by inflowing water.     

Generalized relative permeability coefficients during steady-state two-phase flow in porous media,and correlation with the flow mechanisms

A parametric experimental investigation of the coupling effects during steady-state two-phase flow in porous media was carried out using a large model pore network of the chamber-and-throat type, etched in glass. The wetting phase saturation,S ₁, the capillary number,Ca, and the viscosity ratio,k, were changed systematically, whereas the wettability (contact angleθ _e ), the coalescence factorCo, and the geometrical and topological parameters were kept constant. The fluid flow rate and the pressure drop were measured independently for each fluid. During each experiment, the pore-scale flow mechanisms were observed and videorecorded, and the mean water saturation was determined with image analysis. Conventional relative permeability, as well as generalized relative permeability coefficients (with the viscous coupling terms taken explicitly into account) were determined with a new method that is based on a B-spline functional representation combined with standard constrained optimization techniques. A simple relationship between the conventional relative permeabilities and the generalized relative permeability coefficients is established based on several experimental sets. The viscous coupling (off-diagonal) coefficients are found to be comparable in magnitude to the direct (diagonal) coefficients over board ranges of the flow parameter values. The off-diagonal coefficients (k _rij /Μ _j ) are found to be unequal, and this is explained by the fact that, in the class of flows under consideration, microscopic reversibility does not hold and thus the Onsager-Casimir reciprocal relation does not apply. Thecoupling indices are introduced here; they are defined so that the magnitude of each coupling index is the measure of the contribution of the coupling effects to the flow rate of the corresponding fluid. A correlation of the coupling indices with the underlying flow mechanisms and the pertinent flow parameters is established.