EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND HIGH RESOLUTION SIMULATOR OF IN-SITU COMBUSTION PROCESSES
Accurate simulation of in-situ combustion processes is computationally very challenging because the spatial and temporal scales over which the combustion process takes place are very small. In this sixth quarter of our DoE funded research, we continued the development of our new simulation tool which is based on an efficient Cartesian Adaptive Mesh Refinement technique. This methodology allows much higher grid densities to be used near typical fronts than current simulators. We improved the upscaling strategy on these grids, and derived an effective way to generate upscaled permeabilities that preserve local fluxes. We have started more in-depth research into splitting methods for stiff PDEs such as those found in in-situ combustion simulation. We will report on these new developments extensively in the next quarterly report. This quarterly report, we focus on experimental work. On the experimental side, we have fleshed out a mechanism of improved in-situ combustion with aqueous metallic salts using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the transport phenomenon of such additives through porous media. Based on the observations from SEM analysis, we propose cation exchange of metallic salts with clay as a mechanism to create activated sites that enhance combustion reactions between oil and oxygen. Moreover, the empirical ranking of the success of metallic ions as catalytic additives for in-situ combustion is interpreted as originating from three factors: cation replacing power, distribution of metallic additive adsorption sites, and cation catalytic power for oxidation and cracking of hydrocarbon.
- Research Organization:
- Stanford University (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC26-03NT15405
- OSTI ID:
- 841085
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Apr 2005
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND HIGH RESOLUTION SIMULATOR OF IN-SITU COMBUSTION PROCESSES
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