Modeling of two-phase flow in porous media

including phase-interfacial area

Marie Curie Workshop, Utrecht University, 12.11.2007

Jennifer Niessner, Majid Hassanizadeh

Department of Earth Sciences Institut fr Wasserbau

Faculty of Geosciences LH2
Utrecht University Universitt Stuttgart
THE NETHERLANDS Germany
DNAPL and LNAPL infiltration
 How do we model these
processes?
1 standard approach:
- mass balance equation for each phase
- Darcy's law
- relative permeability saturation function
- capillary pressure saturation function

- has deficiencies w.r.t. physics

- includes empirical assumptions
- numerically easy to handle
- long tradition in modeling
- "from simple to complex
 How do we model these
processes?
2 extended approach (Hassanizadeh & Gray, 1990):
- based on thermodynamic principles
- includes phase interfacial area
- equation system of 38 equations & 38 unknowns

- correct physics
- unknown constitutive relationships
- numerically not easy to handle
- hardly any modeling experience
- "from complex to simple
1 Deficiencies of standard model
Drainage Imbibition

(a) (b)

J.-T. Cheng, L. J. Pyrak-Nolte, D. D. Nolte and N. J. Giordano,

Geophysical Research Letters, 2004
1 Deficiencies of standard model
First deficiency: hysteresis

Hysteresis is not inherent in the equations, it has to be added

by extra (empirical) equations (e.g. Parker & Lenhard (1987))
Function pc(Sw) standard model
Imbibition Drainage

Capillary pressure head

Capillary pressure

Saturation Saturation
Relation pc(Sw) standard model
Imbibition Drainage

Capillary pressure
Capillary pressure

Saturation Saturation
Relation between standard and
extended model

awn [1/m]

pc [Pa] Sw [-]

Joekar-Niasar et al. (2007)

1 Deficiencies of standard model
Second deficiency: mass transfer

Schematic: Real life:

20C

70C
mass transfer of components
between transparent and red
phase
(A. Winkler / A. Frber)
1 Deficiencies of standard model
Second deficiency: mass transfer
highly dependent on interfacial area!! macro scale?
 Aim of this work

model two-phase flow investigating whether we

will see other / additional physical effects?

allow a physically based modeling of various

highly interface-dependent processes (mass
transfer, bacteria & virus transport, coating)
 Outline
Motivation
Mathematical model
Numerical model
Numerical example
Summary and outlook
Mathematical model
Extended model equations
continuity eq. for the w phase

Darcy w phase:

continuity eq. for the n phase

Darcy n phase:

continuity eq. for the interface

Darcy interface:

additional algebraic
relations
Constitutive functions I:
continuity eq. for the w phase

Darcy w phase:

continuity eq. for the n phase

Darcy n phase:

continuity eq. for the interface

Darcy interface:

additional algebraic
relations
Constitutive functions I:
Constitutive functions II:
continuity eq. for the w phase

Darcy w phase:

continuity eq. for the n phase

Darcy n phase:

continuity eq. for the interface

Darcy interface:

additional algebraic
relations
Constitutive functions II:

(data obtained from Vahid Joekar-Niasar 2007)

Constitutive functions III:
continuity eq. for the w phase

Darcy w phase:

continuity eq. for the n phase

Darcy n phase:

continuity eq. for the interface

Darcy interface:

additional algebraic
relations
Constitutive functions III:
conditions:

drainage
imbibition

ansatz:
Constitutive functions III:
formula: (if diffusion term in interfacial balance is small)

known on given bounding drainage and imbibition

pc-Sw functions and ridge: 3 known points

result:
Numerical model
Choice of primary unknowns
6 equations
6 unknowns:

3 partial differential equations:

choose 3 primary unknowns:

3 secondary unknowns:

all secondary unknowns are single-valued

functions of the primary unknowns
Discretization
space discretization:
- vertex-centered finite element scheme:
- advantage from finite volumes:
local mass conservation
- advantage from finite elements:
applicability to unstructured grids
- flux term:
- upwinding in w & n equation
- arithmetic averaging in interface equation
time discretization:
- fully implicit Euler
- nonlinear system: damped inexact Newton
- linear system: BiCGstab
Numerical examples
Numerical examples
- 1: primary drainage -
Setup of the drainage example
 Capillary pressure function
fit Brooks-Corey parameters to primary drainage:

0
7. 4
p2c [Pa]
21
8

0
8 0. 6
1 87
Y Axis (units)

3 .8 0
37
15
0
6 7. 0
1 19

0
6 0 .2
85

3 .4 0
5 15

6 .6 00
17
4
0
0 .0 0 .2 0 .4 Sw 0[-]
.5 0 .7 0 .9 1 1 .1

X Ax is (un its)
(fit obtained from Vahid Joekar-Niasar)
Results drainage example
2p 2pia

Sw

pc

awn
Numerical examples
- 2: drainage & imbibition -
Setup of the redistribution
example

Sn awn
Results redistribution example
after 7 days:

Sn

pc

awn
Results redistribution example

2p: saturation and capillary pressure continuous

no hysteresis
2pia: saturation discontinuous, capillary pressure continuous
hysteretic behavior
Summary & Outlook
Summary
extended two-phase model which is based on
physical principles successfully implemented

comprises additionally balance of interfacial area

for primary drainage, same pc-Sw behavior as in the

standard model

captures additional physical effects, such as

hysteresis, without need for extra equations

capillary pressure correctly shows a continuous

behavior during redistribution while saturation is
discontinuous.
Outlook
comparison to analytical results (e.g. Philip's
problem) and experimental data

fit production term of interfacial area to dynamic pore-

scale model or experimental data

extend to more complex systems (less assumptions)

if necessary

model highly interface dependent processes:

mass transfer between fluid phases
bacteria & virus transport
interfacial area in films for coating
 We thank...
... C.J. van Duijn and I.S. Pop for extensive
inspiring discussions

... V. Joekar-Niasar for sharing data of his

pore-scale network model

... the German Research Foundation (DFG) for

funding

... you for your attention