Abstract: I will begin with introducing my group, studying fluid flow in complex porous media. Most of the talk will describe a study where simulations, experiments and theory are combined t
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Abstract: I will begin with introducing my group, studying fluid flow in complex porous media. Most of the talk will describe a study where simulations, experiments and theory are combined to decipher the mechanisms underlying fluid displacement in partially-wettable porous media. I will present a novel pore-scale model that captures wettability and dynamic effects, overcoming a long-standing computational challenge. We find that increasing the wettability of the invading fluid (the contact angle) promotes cooperative pore filling that stabilizes the invasion; this effect is suppressed as the flow rate increases, due to viscous instabilities. Similarly, reducing pore size heterogeneity increases the displacement efficiency, minimizing the fluid-fluid interfacial area, by suppressing (i) trapping at low rates and (ii) viscous fingering at high rates. Scaling analysis is used to derive dimensionless numbers explaining the mode of displacement. Our findings bear important consequences on sweep efficiency and fluid mixing and reactions, which are key in applications ranging from microfluidics to carbon geosequestration, energy recovery, and soil aeration and remediation.
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