Effects of capillary heterogeneity on vapor-liquid counterflow in porous media
Abstract
Based on a continuum description, the effect of capillary heterogeneity, induced by variation in permeability, on the steady state, countercurrent, vapor-liquid flow in porous media is analyzed. It is shown that the heterogeneity acts as a body force, that may enhance or diminish gravity effects on heat pipes. Selection rules that determine the steady states reached in homogeneous, gravity-driven heat pipes are also formulated. It is shown that the ``infinite`` two-phase zone may terminate by a substantial change in the permeability somewhere in the medium. The two possible sequences, liquid - liquid dominated - dry, or liquid - vapor dominated - dry find applications in geothermal systems. Finally, it is shown that although weak heterogeneity affects only gravity controlled flows, stronger variations in permeability can give rise to significant capillary effects.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 10159907
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/BC/14600-28
ON: DE92001053
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG22-90BC14600
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jun 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 02 PETROLEUM; 15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY; PETROLEUM DEPOSITS; HETEROGENEOUS EFFECTS; GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS; PERMEABILITY; VARIATIONS; LIQUIDS; VAPORS; FLUID FLOW; POROSITY; 020300; 152003; DRILLING AND PRODUCTION; ROCK-WATER-GAS INTERACTIONS
Citation Formats
Stubos, A K, Satik, C, and Yortsos, Y C. Effects of capillary heterogeneity on vapor-liquid counterflow in porous media. United States: N. p., 1992.
Web. doi:10.2172/10159907.
Stubos, A K, Satik, C, & Yortsos, Y C. Effects of capillary heterogeneity on vapor-liquid counterflow in porous media. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/10159907
Stubos, A K, Satik, C, and Yortsos, Y C. 1992.
"Effects of capillary heterogeneity on vapor-liquid counterflow in porous media". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/10159907. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10159907.
@article{osti_10159907,
title = {Effects of capillary heterogeneity on vapor-liquid counterflow in porous media},
author = {Stubos, A K and Satik, C and Yortsos, Y C},
abstractNote = {Based on a continuum description, the effect of capillary heterogeneity, induced by variation in permeability, on the steady state, countercurrent, vapor-liquid flow in porous media is analyzed. It is shown that the heterogeneity acts as a body force, that may enhance or diminish gravity effects on heat pipes. Selection rules that determine the steady states reached in homogeneous, gravity-driven heat pipes are also formulated. It is shown that the ``infinite`` two-phase zone may terminate by a substantial change in the permeability somewhere in the medium. The two possible sequences, liquid - liquid dominated - dry, or liquid - vapor dominated - dry find applications in geothermal systems. Finally, it is shown that although weak heterogeneity affects only gravity controlled flows, stronger variations in permeability can give rise to significant capillary effects.},
doi = {10.2172/10159907},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10159907},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992},
month = {Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992}
}