Abstract
The simultaneous flow of immiscible fluids in porous media occurs in a wide variety of applications. The equations governing these flows are inherently nonlinear, and the geometries and material properties characterizing many problems in petroleum and groundwater engineering can be quite irregular. As a result, numerical simulation offers the only viable approach to the mathematical modeling of multiphase flows. This chapter provides an overview of the types of models that are used in this field and highlights some of the numerical techniques that have appeared recently. The exposition includes discusssions of multiphase, multispecies flows in which chemical transport and interphase mass transfers play important roles. This chapter also examines some of the outstanding physical and mathematical problems in multiphase flow simulation. The scope of the chapter is limited to isothermal flows in natural porous media; however, many of the special techniques and difficulties discussed also arise in artificial porous media and multiphase flows with thermal effects.
Published Version
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