Theoretical Estimation of Free and Entrapped Nonwetting-Wetting Fluid Interfacial Areas in Porous Media

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001 · Advances in Water Resources

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0309-1708(01)00017-3· OSTI ID:15001315

Oostrom, Mart ^[1]; White, Mark D ^[1]; Brusseau, M L ^[2]

---

1. BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)
2. University of Arizona

Fluid-fluid interfacial areas play important roles in numerous subsurface processes such a dissolution, volatilization, and adsorption. Integral expressions have been derived to estimate both entrapped (discontinuous) and free (continuous) nonwetting fluid-wetting fluid specific interfacial areas in porous media. The expressions, compatible with widely used capillary head-saturation and entrapment models, require information on capillary head-saturation relation parameters, porosity, and fluid-pair interfacial tension. In addition, information on the maximum entrapped nonwetting fluid saturation as well as the main drainage branch reversal point for water and total liquid saturations is necessary to estimate entrapped fluid interfacial areas. Implementation of the interfacial area equations in continuum-based multifluid flow simulators is straightforward since no additional parameters are needed than those required by the simulators to complete the multifluid flow computations. A limited sensitivity analysis, based on experimentally obtained parameter values, showed that imposed variations resulted in logical and consistent changes in predicted specific interfacial areas for both entrapped and free nonwetting fluid-wetting fluid systems. A direct comparison with published experimental work to test the derived expressions was limited to free air-water systems and yielded reasonable results. Such comparisons are often not possible because of the lack of information given on retention parameters, and variables used to determine nonwetting fluid entrapment. This contribution is dedicated to John W. Cary.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 15001315
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-36268; TRN: US200323%%373
• Journal Information: Advances in Water Resources, Vol. 24, Issue 8; Other Information: PBD: 1 Aug 2001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
POROUS MATERIALS
SURFACE TENSION
INTERFACES
WETTABILITY
ADSORPTION
DISSOLUTION
DRAINAGE
EVAPORATION
SATURATION
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
INTERSTITIAL WATER
SPECIFIC INTERFACIAL AREA
ENTRAPMENT
RETENTION RELATION
MULTIFLUID FLOW
NONAQUEOUS PHASE LIQUID