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Pore-scale mass and reactant transport in multiphase porous media flows

Parmigiani, A. ; Huber, C. ; Bachmann, O. ; Chopard, B.

In: Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2011, vol. 686, p. 40-76

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    Title
    • Pore-scale mass and reactant transport in multiphase porous media flows
    Author
    • Parmigiani, A.. Computer Science Department, University of Geneva, CH-1227 Carouge, Switzerland
    • Huber, C.. School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, GA 30332, USA
    • Bachmann, O.. Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, WA 98195, USA
    • Chopard, B.. Computer Science Department, University of Geneva, CH-1227 Carouge, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    Language
    • English
    Published in
    • Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2011, vol. 686, p. 40-76. Cambridge University Press
    Other Version
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:295494
    Summary
    Reactive processes associated with multiphase flows play a significant role in mass transport in unsaturated porous media. For example, the effect of reactions on the solid matrix can affect the formation and stability of fingering instabilities associated with the invasion of a buoyant non-wetting fluid. In this study, we focus on the formation and stability of capillary channels of a buoyant non-wetting fluid (developed because of capillary instabilities) and their impact on the transport and distribution of a reactant in the porous medium. We use a combination of pore-scale numerical calculations based on a multiphase reactive lattice Boltzmann model (LBM) and scaling laws to quantify (i)the effect of dissolution on the preservation of capillary instabilities, (ii)the penetration depth of reaction beyond the dissolution/melting front, and (iii)the temporal and spatial distribution of dissolution/melting under different conditions (concentration of reactant in the non-wetting fluid, injection rate). Our results show that, even for tortuous non-wetting fluid channels, simple scaling laws assuming an axisymmetrical annular flow can explain (i)the exponential decay of reactant along capillary channels, (ii)the dependence of the penetration depth of reactant on a local Péclet number (using the non-wetting fluid velocity in the channel) and more qualitatively (iii)the importance of the melting/reaction efficiency on the stability of non-wetting fluid channels. Our numerical method allows us to study the feedbacks between the immiscible multiphase fluid flow and a dynamically evolving porous matrix (dissolution or melting) which is an essential component of reactive transport in porous media