Experimental and Numerical Quantification and Verification of Interfacial Coupling in Two-Phase Porous Media Flow

Abstract

Interfacial coupling in two-phase porous media flow was investigated analytically and numerically. Modified forms of Darcy's equation, which incorporated interfacial coupling (viscous and capillary coupling) and hydrodynamic effects, were formulated. A numerical scheme was developed to solve the equations and was codified into a standalone numerical simulator using the Java TM programming language. From the results of the analyses carried out, the parameter that controls the amount of viscous coupling was, theoretically and experimentally, found to have maximum values of 2 and 0.001, respectively, in order to account for the effect of viscous coupling. A comparison of analytical and experimental results shows that the transport equations give a good description of flow. The viscous coupling and capillary coupling effects are very small and can be neglected in horizontal, cocurrent flow. In horizontal, countercurrent flow, the capillary coupling was found to have a more significant effect than viscous coupling, which can be neglected. The hydrodynamic effects are found to be insignificant in horizontal, cocurrent and countercurrent flow. For vertical flow, analytical results show that viscous coupling effects are insignificant. Due to the limitations and non-availability of a complete set of vertical flow experimental data, the applicability of the capillary coupling concept could not be verified fully using the modified set of transport equations. Hence, the modified set of transport equation is yet to be verified for vertical flow.