Berlin 2012 – scientific programme
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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik
CPP 36: Wetting, Micro and nanofluidics I
CPP 36.5: Talk
Thursday, March 29, 2012, 16:15–16:30, C 264
Pore-scale dynamics of multiphase fluid flow through porous media using synchrotron X-ray tomography — •Kamaljit Singh1,2, Hagen Scholl3, Marco Di Michiel1, Mario Scheel1, Stephan Herminghaus2, and Ralf Seemann2,3 — 1ESRF, Grenoble, France — 2MPI-DS, Goettingen, Germany — 3Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany
The dynamic behavior of water-oil fronts during a water flood into an initially oil filled porous medium was investigated using ultrafast X-ray tomography at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. This type of multiphase flow is similar to a situation which can be found for oil recovery and soil decontamination. We investigated the effect of wettability, flow velocity, porosity and gravity. The findings reveal that the water-oil front is more compact in basalt beads, whereas the front in glass beads progresses in elongated fingers. The fingering in the glass beads results in a higher final residual oil saturation due to bypassing of several oil-filled pores. Secondly, a significant oil movement was observed behind the main front in the case of basalt beads, therefore sweeping the rest of the oil resulting in less trapping after a complete water flood. We further analyzed the time-series of tomograms to identify preferential pathways during forced-imbibition. These flow paths are overlain by corresponding pore-throat network to investigate the properties of pores and throats allowing water-oil interfaces to migrate. From this analysis, it seems that capillary forces dominate the flow behavior instead of hydraulic resistance. Finally, the velocity does not seem to play a significant role in water-oil front behavior.