Clogging at pore scale and pressure-induced erosion

Abstract

Introducing a model to study deposition and erosion of single particles at microscopic scale, we investigate the clogging and erosive processes in a pore. The particle diameter, concentration, and adhesive forces rule the way particles are deposited, and therefore, characterize the clogging process. We study the hydraulic pressure that induces erosive bursts and conclude that this pressure depends linearly on the deposited volume and inversely on the pores' diameter. While cohesion does not play an important role for erosive bursts, the adhesion is the main force initiating clogging and when overcome by the hydraulic pressure, erosive bursts are triggered. Finally, we show how the magnitude of erosive bursts depends on the pore length, particle diameter and pore size.