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Pore-network modeling of polymer flow in porous media
File(s)
Author(s)
Suo, Si
Foroughi, Sajjad
Blunt, Martin J
O'Sullivan, Catherine
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Non-Newtonian fluid flows in porous media are critical in various subsurface and geotechnical engineering applications. However, accurately predicting such flows remains challenging due to the complex fluid rheology and intricate pore structures. This study focuses on polymer fluids with shear-thinning rheology with the motivation of advancing understanding of polymer support fluids for ground engineering applications. To address the limitations of existing models, we derive a theoretical conductance model for polymer flow in a capillary tube, based on which a customized pore-network method is developed. Our simulations reveal three distinct flow regimes, highlighting the impact of the rheology on flow dynamics. Notably, flow heterogeneity amplifies as the shear-thinning feature directs more flow through wider pores, where the effective viscosity decreases more significantly compared to narrower ones. A generalized Darcy’s law is formulated for non-Newtonian fluids, validated through pore-network modeling on 60 distinct sphere packings. The proposed framework is adaptable to a broad range of non-Newtonian fluids, offering valuable insights for scaling up to field-scale applications.
Date Issued
2025-06-01
Date Acceptance
2025-02-08
Citation
Computers and Geotechnics, 2025, 182
URI
URL
DOI
ISSN
0266-352X
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Computers and Geotechnics
Volume
182
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Subjects
COMPLEX FLUIDS
Computer Science
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Engineering
Engineering, Geological
Geology
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Non-Newtonian effects
PACKED-BEDS
Physical Sciences
Polymer fluids
Pore-network modeling
Porous media
RHEOLOGY
Science & Technology
Shear-thinning rheology
Technology
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
107142
Date Publish Online
2025-02-20