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Title: Single- and two-phase flow in microfluidic porous media analogs based on Voronoi tessellation

Abstract

The objective of this study was to create a microfluidic model of complex porous media for studying single and multiphase flows. Most experimental porous media models consist of periodic geometries that lend themselves to comparison with well-developed theoretical predictions. However, most real porous media such as geological formations and biological tissues contain a degree of randomness and complexity that is not adequately represented in periodic geometries. To design an experimental tool to study these complex geometries, we created microfluidic models of random homogeneous and heterogeneous networks based on Voronoi tessellations. These networks consisted of approximately 600 grains separated by a highly connected network of channels with an overall porosity of 0.11 0.20. We found that introducing heterogeneities in the form of large cavities within the network changed the permeability in a way that cannot be predicted by the classical porosity-permeability relationship known as the Kozeny equation. The values of permeability found in experiments were in excellent agreement with those calculated from three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann simulations. In two-phase flow experiments of oil displacement with water we found that the surface energy of channel walls determined the pattern of water invasion, while the network topology determined the residual oil saturation. These resultsmore » suggest that complex network topologies lead to fluid flow behavior that is difficult to predict based solely on porosity. The microfluidic models developed in this study using a novel geometry generation algorithm based on Voronoi tessellation are a new experimental tool for studying fluid and solute transport problems within complex porous media.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [2]
  1. Colorado School of Mines, Golden
  2. ORNL
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1081886
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Lab on a Chip
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 12; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1473--0197
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Wu, Mengjie, Xiao, Feng, Johnson-Paben, Rebecca, Retterer, Scott T, Yin, Xiaolong, and Neeves, Keith B. Single- and two-phase flow in microfluidic porous media analogs based on Voronoi tessellation. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1039/c1lc20838a.
Wu, Mengjie, Xiao, Feng, Johnson-Paben, Rebecca, Retterer, Scott T, Yin, Xiaolong, & Neeves, Keith B. Single- and two-phase flow in microfluidic porous media analogs based on Voronoi tessellation. United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/c1lc20838a
Wu, Mengjie, Xiao, Feng, Johnson-Paben, Rebecca, Retterer, Scott T, Yin, Xiaolong, and Neeves, Keith B. 2012. "Single- and two-phase flow in microfluidic porous media analogs based on Voronoi tessellation". United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/c1lc20838a.
@article{osti_1081886,
title = {Single- and two-phase flow in microfluidic porous media analogs based on Voronoi tessellation},
author = {Wu, Mengjie and Xiao, Feng and Johnson-Paben, Rebecca and Retterer, Scott T and Yin, Xiaolong and Neeves, Keith B},
abstractNote = {The objective of this study was to create a microfluidic model of complex porous media for studying single and multiphase flows. Most experimental porous media models consist of periodic geometries that lend themselves to comparison with well-developed theoretical predictions. However, most real porous media such as geological formations and biological tissues contain a degree of randomness and complexity that is not adequately represented in periodic geometries. To design an experimental tool to study these complex geometries, we created microfluidic models of random homogeneous and heterogeneous networks based on Voronoi tessellations. These networks consisted of approximately 600 grains separated by a highly connected network of channels with an overall porosity of 0.11 0.20. We found that introducing heterogeneities in the form of large cavities within the network changed the permeability in a way that cannot be predicted by the classical porosity-permeability relationship known as the Kozeny equation. The values of permeability found in experiments were in excellent agreement with those calculated from three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann simulations. In two-phase flow experiments of oil displacement with water we found that the surface energy of channel walls determined the pattern of water invasion, while the network topology determined the residual oil saturation. These results suggest that complex network topologies lead to fluid flow behavior that is difficult to predict based solely on porosity. The microfluidic models developed in this study using a novel geometry generation algorithm based on Voronoi tessellation are a new experimental tool for studying fluid and solute transport problems within complex porous media.},
doi = {10.1039/c1lc20838a},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1081886}, journal = {Lab on a Chip},
issn = {1473--0197},
number = 2,
volume = 12,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012}
}