Aspects of non-Newtonian flow and displacement in porous media
The rheology of many heavy oils has been shown to be non-Newtonian, Bingham plastics being one manifestation of heavy oil flow. In EOR applications, non-Newtonian fluids such as low concentration polymer solutions, emulsions, gels etc. are simultaneously injected to increase the viscosity of driving agents that displace oil. Such rheologically complex fluids are used to improve sweep efficiencies, divert displacing fluids and block swept zones. The present study has been undertaken to understand the flow of non-Newtonian fluids through porous media. The work considered involves the numerical (pore network) modeling of both single and multiphase flow of power-law and Bingham plastic fluids in network-like porous media. We consider aspects of both single- and multi-phase flow and displacement. Section 2 describes elementary aspects of non-Newtonian flow and some simple models for porous media. Viscoelastic effects in the flow of non-Newtonian fluids are also discussed. The section includes a brief literature review on non-Newtonian flow in porous media. Section 3 describes single-phase flow.
- Research Organization:
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG22-90BC14600
- OSTI ID:
- 10134743
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/BC/14600-41; ON: DE93000128
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Feb 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Theoretical Studies of Non-Newtonian and Newtonian Fluid Flowthrough Porous Media
Flow and displacement of Bingham plastics in porous media