Mathematical modeling of membrane polarization occurring in rocks due to applied electrical field

Membrane polarization occurs in sediments with different surface area of capillaries (pores) and is regarded as a slow type of polarization. This phenomenon is the foundation of the well known methods of induced polarization (IP): time domain and frequency domain induced polarization. The characteristic parameters of induced polarization which are required for studying physical properties of rocks are measured in the laboratory. Data measured in the laboratory confirmed the distinctions of IP processes at time-on and time-off. Additionally linear dependence of voltage and applied current is not always observed. This paper presents the first step of studying: theoretical consideration for time-on and mathematical modeling of membrane polarization, ion concentrations of electrolyte in the pores of different models of pores space, and arising voltage. The problem of concentration of ions along the pores can be solved using the diffusion equation with specified initial and boundary conditions. Reduced boundary conditions for time-on show that transient concentrations at the boundaries are linear with time. It allows obtaining the analytical solution for this equation. Mathematical modeling has been performed for different combinations of pores. It is shown that if electrical current flows from the pores with greater transfer numbers to the pores with smaller transfer numbers, an excess of ions will be observed at this boundary. If the difference of transfer numbers is negative, there is a decrease in the concentration of ions at the vicinity of the boundary. This decrease will continue until the concentration at this boundary reaches zero. In this case the galvanic chain will be interrupted and electrical current flowing through the sample does not penetrate to this cell. The duration of the process of ions distribution in the pore and time of blockage t ₀ is proportional to the radii of contacted pores and inversely proportional to the transfer number difference and square of the current flowing through this cell. It was shown by both laboratory measurement and field processes that induced polarization relates to low porous rocks with small transfer number differences.