Large Scale Simulations of Single and Multi-Component Flow in Porous Media

Published

July 1, 1999

Author(s)

Nicos Martys, John G. Hagedorn, D S. Goujon, J E. Devaney

Abstract

We examine the utility of the lattice Boltzmann method for modeling fluid flow in large microstructures. First, results of permeability calculations are compared to predicted values for several idealized geometries. Large scale simulations of fluid flow through digitized images of Fontainebleau sandstone, generated by X-ray microtomography, were then carried out. Reasonably good agreement was found when compared to experimentally determined values of permeability for similar rocks. We also calculate relative permeability curves as a function of fluid saturation and driving force. The Onsager relation, which equates off-diagonal components of the permeability tensor for two phase flow, is shown not to hold for intermediate to low nonwetting saturation, since the response of the fluid flow to an applied body force was nonlinear. Values of permeability from three phase flows are compared to corresponding two phase values. Performance on several platforms is given.

Citation

SPIE International Society for Optical Engineering

Volume

3772

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Lattice Boltzmann, microtomography, parallel computing, permeability, porous media

Citation

Martys, N. , Hagedorn, J. , Goujon, D. and Devaney, J. (1999), Large Scale Simulations of Single and Multi-Component Flow in Porous Media, SPIE International Society for Optical Engineering, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=860203 (Accessed October 11, 2025)