Towards a thermodynamics of immiscible two-phase steady-state flow in porous media

We propose that steady-state two-phase flow in porous media may be described through a formalism closely resembling equilibrium thermodynamics. This leads to a Monte Carlo method that will be highly efficient in studying two-phase flow under steady-state conditions numerically. This work was partially supported by the Norwegian Research Council through grants nos. 154535/432 and 180296/S30.     

The representer method for data assimilation in single-phase Darcy flow in porous media

We apply the representer method, a data assimilation algorithm, to single-phase Darcy flow in porous media. The measurement array that yields the assimilated data can be expressed as a vector of linear functionals of pressure. The a priori discretization errors in the representer method are analyzed in terms of the convergence properties of the underlying numerical schemes used in each part of the algorithm. We formulate some proof-of-concept numerical experiments that illustrate the error analysis.     

A space-time discontinuous Galerkin method applied to single-phase flow in porous media

A space-time discontinuous Galerkin finite element method is proposed and applied to a convection-dominant single-phase flow problem in porous media. The numerical scheme is based on a coupled space-time finite element discretization allowing for discontinuous approximations in space and in time. The continuities on the element interfaces are weakly enforced by the flux treatments, so that no extra penalty factor has to be determined. The resulting space-time formulation possesses the advantage of capturing the steep concentration front with sharp gradients efficiently. The stability and reliability of the proposed approach is demonstrated by numerical experiments. The author is grateful to the DFG (German Science Foundation—Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) for the financial support under the grant number Di 430/4-2.     

Multiscale simulations of porous media flows in flow-based coordinate system

In this paper, we propose a multiscale technique for the simulation of porous media flows in a flow-based coordinate system. A flow-based coordinate system allows us to simplify the scale interaction and derive the upscaled equations for purely hyperbolic transport equations. We discuss the applications of the method to two-phase flows in heterogeneous porous media. For two-phase flow simulations, the use of a flow-based coordinate system requires limited global information, such as the solution of single-phase flow. Numerical results show that one can achieve accurate upscaling results using a flow-based coordinate system.     

A comparison of multiscale methods for elliptic problems in porous media flow

We review and perform comparison studies for three recent multiscale methods for solving elliptic problems in porous media flow; the multiscale mixed finite-element method, the numerical subgrid upscaling method, and the multiscale finite-volume method. These methods are based on a hierarchical strategy, where the global flow equations are solved on a coarsened mesh only. However, for each method, the discrete formulation of the partial differential equations on the coarse mesh is designed in a particular fashion to account for the impact of heterogeneous subgrid structures of the porous medium. The three multiscale methods produce solutions that are mass conservative on the underlying fine mesh. The methods may therefore be viewed as efficient, approximate fine-scale solvers, i.e., as an inexpensive alternative to solving the elliptic problem on the fine mesh. In addition, the methods may be utilized as an alternative to upscaling, as they generate mass-conservative solutions on the coarse mesh. We therefore choose to also compare the multiscale methods with a state-of-the-art upscaling method – the adaptive local–global upscaling method, which may be viewed as a multiscale method when coupled with a mass-conservative downscaling procedure. We investigate the properties of all four methods through a series of numerical experiments designed to reveal differences with regard to accuracy and robustness. The numerical experiments reveal particular problems with some of the methods, and these will be discussed in detail along with possible solutions. Next, we comment on implementational aspects and perform a simple analysis and comparison of the computational costs associated with each of the methods. Finally, we apply the three multiscale methods to a dynamic two-phase flow case and demonstrate that high efficiency and accurate results can be obtained when the subgrid computations are made part of a preprocessing step and not updated, or updated infrequently, throughout the simulation. The research is funded by the Research Council of Norway under grant nos. 152732 and 158908.     

多孔介质油水两相k~s~p关系数学模型的实验研究

数学模型是研究相对渗透率与饱和度关系曲线的重要方法。采用自行开发设计的人工平面多孔介质模型,测定了相对渗透率与饱和度的关系曲线。多孔介质选择粒径为0.5~1mm、1~2mm的标准砂,纯净的水为湿润相,用3号苏丹红染色的93#汽油为非湿润相,组成多孔介质油水两相流动系统。采用Van Genuchten and Mualeum(VGM)和Brooks-Corey-Burdine(BCB)两种数学模型计算相对渗透率与饱和度的关系曲线,通过比较两种数学模型计算结果之间和模型计算结果与实测结果的差异以及模型的应用、多相渗流系统自身特征,得出VGM、BCB两种数学模型计算结果符合实际情况,VGM模型应用过程更为简便,但VGM模型具有一定适用条件;在砂性多孔介质中,BCB模型计算相对渗透率与饱和度关系曲线更准确。     

Multiscale finite-volume method for density-driven flow in porous media

The multiscale finite-volume (MSFV) method has been developed to solve multiphase flow problems on large and highly heterogeneous domains efficiently. It employs an auxiliary coarse grid, together with its dual, to define and solve a coarse-scale pressure problem. A set of basis functions, which are local solutions on dual cells, is used to interpolate the coarse-grid pressure and obtain an approximate fine-scale pressure distribution. However, if flow takes place in presence of gravity (or capillarity), the basis functions are not good interpolators. To treat this case correctly, a correction function is added to the basis function interpolated pressure. This function, which is similar to a supplementary basis function independent of the coarse-scale pressure, allows for a very accurate fine-scale approximation. In the coarse-scale pressure equation, it appears as an additional source term and can be regarded as a local correction to the coarse-scale operator: It modifies the fluxes across the coarse-cell interfaces defined by the basis functions. Given the closure assumption that localizes the pressure problem in a dual cell, the derivation of the local problem that defines the correction function is exact, and no additional hypothesis is needed. Therefore, as in the original MSFV method, the only closure approximation is the localization assumption. The numerical experiments performed for density-driven flow problems (counter-current flow and lock exchange) demonstrate excellent agreement between the MSFV solutions and the corresponding fine-scale reference solutions.     

采用复合单元法模拟裂隙多孔介质变饱和流动

采用复合单元法建立了模拟裂隙多孔介质变饱和流动的数值模型。该模型具有以下特点:裂隙不需要离散成特定单元,而是根据几何位置插入到孔隙基质单元中形成复合单元;在复合单元中,分别建立裂隙流和孔隙基质流的计算方程,二者通过裂隙-基质界面产生联系并整合成复合单元方程;复合单元方程具有和常规有限单元方程相同的格式,因此,可以使用常规有限单元方程的求解技术。采用欠松弛迭代、集中质量矩阵以及自适应时步调节等技术,开发了裂隙多孔介质变饱和流动计算程序。通过模拟一维干土入渗和复杂裂隙含水层内的流动问题,验证了该模型的合理性和适用性。模拟结果为进一步认识非饱和裂隙含水层地下水流动特性提供了理论依据。     

Two-phase, partially miscible flow and transport modeling in porous media; application to gas migration in a nuclear waste repository

We derive a compositional compressible two-phase, liquid and gas, flow model for numerical simulations of hydrogen migration in deep geological repository for radioactive waste. This model includes capillary effects and the gas high diffusivity. Moreover, it is written in variables (total hydrogen mass density and liquid pressure) chosen in order to be consistent with gas appearance or disappearance. We discuss the well possedness of this model and give some computational evidences of its adequacy to simulate gas generation in a water-saturated repository.     

A finite element method for modeling coupled flow and deformation in porous fractured media

Modeling the flow in highly fractured porous media by finite element method (FEM) has met two difficulties: mesh generation for fractured domains and a rigorous formulation of the flow problem accounting for fracture/matrix, fracture/fracture, and fracture/boundary fluid mass exchanges. Based on the recent theoretical progress for mass balance conditions in multifractured porous bodies, the governing equations for coupled flow and deformation in these bodies are first established in this paper. A weak formulation for this problem is then established allowing to build a FEM. Taking benefit from recent development of mesh‐generating tools for fractured media, this weak formulation has been implemented in a numerical code and applied to some typical problems of hydromechanical coupling in fractured porous media. It is shown that in this way, the FEM that has proved its efficiency to model hydromechanical phenomena in porous media is extended with all its performances (calculation time, couplings, and nonlinearities) to fractured porous media. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiphase SPH modeling of free surface flow in porous media with variable porosity

This paper presents a numerical model for simulating free surface flow in porous media with spatially varying porosity. The governing equations are based on the mixture theory. The resistance forces between solid and fluid is assumed to be nonlinear. A multiphase SPH approach is presented to solve the governing equations. In the multiphase SPH, water is modeled as a weakly compressible fluid, and solid phase is discretized by fixed solid particles carrying information of porosity. The model is validated by several numerical examples including seepage through specimen, fast flow through rockfill dam and wave interaction with porous structure. Good agreements between numerical results and experimental data are obtained in terms of flow rate and evolution of free surface. Parameter study shows that (1) the nonlinear resistance law provides more accurate results; (2) particle size and porosity have significant influence on the porous flow.     

A locally conservative variational multiscale method for the simulation of porous media flow with multiscale source terms

We present a variational multiscale mixed finite element method for the solution of Darcy flow in porous media, in which both the permeability field and the source term display a multiscale character. The formulation is based on a multiscale split of the solution into coarse and subgrid scales. This decomposition is invoked in a variational setting that leads to a rigorous definition of a (global) coarse problem and a set of (local) subgrid problems. One of the key issues for the success of the method is the proper definition of the boundary conditions for the localization of the subgrid problems. We identify a weak compatibility condition that allows for subgrid communication across element interfaces, a feature that turns out to be essential for obtaining high-quality solutions. We also remove the singularities due to concentrated sources from the coarse-scale problem by introducing additional multiscale basis functions, based on a decomposition of fine-scale source terms into coarse and deviatoric components. The method is locally conservative and employs a low-order approximation of pressure and velocity at both scales. We illustrate the performance of the method on several synthetic cases and conclude that the method is able to capture the global and local flow patterns accurately.     

模拟裂隙多孔介质中变饱和渗流的广义等效连续体方法

描述了一种计算裂隙多孔介质中变饱和渗流的广义等效连续体方法。这种方法忽略裂隙的毛细作用,设定一个与某孔隙饱和度相对应的综合饱和度极限值,并假定：（1）如果裂隙多孔介质的综合饱和度小于该极限值,水只在孔隙中存在并流动,而裂隙中则没有水的流动;（2）如果综合饱和度等于或大于该极限值,水将进入裂隙,并在裂隙内运动。分析比较了等效连续体模型的不同计算方法,并给出了一个模拟裂隙岩体中变饱和渗流与传热耦合问题的应用算例。结果表明,所述方法具有一般性,可以有效地模拟裂隙多孔介质中变饱和渗流的基本特征。     

Variational inequalities for modeling flow in heterogeneous porous media with entry pressure

One of the driving forces in porous media flow is the capillary pressure. In standard models, it is given depending on the saturation. However, recent experiments have shown disagreement between measurements and numerical solutions using such simple models. Hence, we consider in this paper two extensions to standard capillary pressure relationships. Firstly, to correct the nonphysical behavior, we use a recently established saturation-dependent retardation term. Secondly, in the case of heterogeneous porous media, we apply a model with a capillary threshold pressure that controls the penetration process. Mathematically, we rewrite this model as inequality constraint at the interfaces, which allows discontinuities in the saturation and pressure. For the standard model, often finite-volume schemes resulting in a nonlinear system for the saturation are applied. To handle the enhanced model at the interfaces correctly, we apply a mortar discretization method on nonmatching meshes. Introducing the flux as a new variable allows us to solve the inequality constraint efficiently. This method can be applied to both the standard and the enhanced capillary model. As nonlinear solver, we use an active set strategy combined with a Newton method. Several numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency and flexibility of the new algorithm in 2D and 3D and show the influence of the retardation term. This work was supported in part by IRTG NUPUS.     

Numerical solutions for flow in porous media

A numerical approach is proposed to model the flow in porous media using homogenization theory. The proposed concept involves the analyses of micro‐true flow at pore‐level and macro‐seepage flow at macro‐level. Macro‐seepage and microscopic characteristic flow equations are first derived from the Navier–Stokes equation at low Reynolds number through a two‐scale homogenization method. This homogenization method adopts an asymptotic expansion of velocity and pressure through the micro‐structures of porous media. A slightly compressible condition is introduced to express the characteristic flow through only characteristic velocity. This characteristic flow is then numerically solved using a penalty FEM scheme. Reduced integration technique is introduced for the volumetric term to avoid mesh locking. Finally, the numerical model is examined using two sets of permeability test data on clay and one set of permeability test data on sand. The numerical predictions agree well with the experimental data if constraint water film is considered for clay and two‐dimensional cross‐connection effect is included for sand. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modeling of the flow and transport of radionuclides in heterogeneous porous media

This paper is concerned with numerical methods for the modeling of flow and transport of contaminant in porous media. The numerical methods feature the mixed finite element method over triangles as a solver to the Darcy flow equation and a conservative finite volume scheme for the concentration equation. The convective term is approximated with a Godunov scheme over the dual finite volume mesh, whereas the diffusion–dispersion term is discretized by piecewise linear conforming triangular finite elements. It is shown that the scheme satisfies a discrete maximum principle. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the methodology for a coupled system that includes an elliptic equation and a diffusion–convection–reaction equation arising when modeling flow and transport in heterogeneous porous media. The proposed scheme is robust, conservative, efficient, and stable, as confirmed by numerical simulations.      

Streamline method for resolving sharp fronts for complex two-phase flow in porous media

In this paper, we present a fast streamline-based numerical method for the two-phase flow equations in high-rate flooding scenarios for incompressible fluids in heterogeneous and anisotropic porous media. A fractional flow formulation is adopted and a discontinuous Galerkin method (DG) is employed to solve the pressure equation. Capillary effects can be neglected in high-rate flooding scenarios. This allows us to present an improved streamline approach in combination with the one-dimensional front tracking method to solve the transport equation. To handle the high computational costs of the DG approximation, domain decomposition is applied combined with an algebraic multigrid preconditioner to solve the linear system. Special care at the interior interfaces is required and the streamline tracer has to include a dynamic communication strategy. The method is validated in various two- and three-dimensional tests, where comparisons of the solutions in terms of approximation of flow front propagation with standard fully implicit finite-volume methods are provided.     

Calculating the internodal transmissibilities using finite analytic method and its application for multi‐phase flow in heterogeneous porous media

In the traditional numerical reservoir simulations, the internodal transmissibility is usually defined as the harmonic mean of the permeabilities of the adjacent grids. This definition underestimates the phase flux and the speed of the saturation front, especially for the strong heterogeneous case. In this article, the internodal transmissibility is recalculated according to the nodal analytic solution. The redefined internodal transmissibility can be used directly to calculate the multiphase flow in the numerical reservoir simulations. Numerical examples show that, compared to the traditional numerical methods, the proposed scheme makes the convergences much faster as the refinement parameter increases, and the accuracy is independent of the heterogeneity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unsteady source flow in weakly heterogeneous porous media

Average nonuniform flows in heterogeneous formations are modeled with the aid of the nonlocal effective Darcy's law. The mean head for flow toward source of instantaneous discharge in a heterogeneous medium of given statistics represents the fundamental solution of the average flow equation and is called the Mean Green Function (MGF). The general representation of the MGF is obtained for weakly heterogeneous formations as a functional of the logconductivity correlation function. For Gaussian logconductivity correlation, the MGF is derived in terms of one quadrature in time t and it is analyzed for isotropic media of any dimensionality d and for 3D axisymmetric formations. The MGF is further applied to determining the mean head distribution for flow driven by a continuous source of constant discharge. The large time asymptotic of the mean head is analyzed in details.     

Part II. Discontinuous Galerkin method applied to a single phase flow in porous media

Discontinuous Galerkin numerical simulations of single phase flow problem are described in this paper. The simulations show the advantages of using discontinuous approximation spaces. hp convergence results are obtained for smooth solutions. Unstructured meshes and unsmooth solutions are also considered.