A pore-scale study of flow and transport through porous media
Abstract
A Ph.D. dissertation describing pore-scale numerical modeling of flow and transport phenomena in spatially periodic porous media using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) is presented. SPH is a fully Lagrangian computational fluid dynamics technique in which the numerical solution is achieved without a grid. Originally developed for astrophysical applications, SPH is extended to model low Reynolds number single-phase flow and tracer transport in porous media. In this dissertation, a review of literature related to the current research is first provided. The development, verification, and application of the numerical model are then presented for pore-scale flow, diffusion, tracer convection, and hydrodynamic dispersion. Simulations using SPH were used to calculate permeability, diffusivity, dispersivity, and tortuosity of porous media. Simulations indicated that pure tracer convection through two-dimensional spatially periodic porous media cannot be described as an asymptotic Fickian-type process, even for large times, if body force F is aligned with a line of media symmetry. If F is not aligned with a line of media symmetry, Fickian-type mixing is possible for pure tracer convection. An asymptotic Fickian approximation is also valid for tracer hydrodynamic dispersion through spatially periodic porous media. Finally, conclusions and future research needs using the numerical model are provided.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Fox, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Civil engineering
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