TY - JOUR
T1 - Network flow modeling via lattice-Boltzmann based channel conductance
AU - Sholokhova, Yelena
AU - Kim, Daesang
AU - Brent Lindquist, W.
PY - 2009/2
Y1 - 2009/2
N2 - Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) computations of single phase, pore-to-pore conductance are compared to models in which such conductances are computed via standard pore body-channel-pore body series resistance (SR), with the conductance of each individual element (pore body, channel) based on geometric shape factor measurements. The LB computations, based upon actual channel geometry derived from X-ray computed tomographic imagery, reveal that the variation in conductance for channels having similar shape factor is much larger than is adequately captured by the geometric models. Fits to the dependence of median value of conductance versus shape factor from the LB-based computations show a power law dependence of higher power than that predicted by the geometric models. We introduce two network flow models based upon the LB conductance computations: one model is based upon LB computations for each pore-to-pore connection; the second is based upon a power law fit to the relationship between computed conductance and throat shape factor. Bulk absolute permeabilities for Fontainebleau sandstone images are computed using the SR-based network models and the two LB-based models. Both LB-based network models produce bulk absolute permeability values that fit published data more accurately than the SR-based models.
AB - Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) computations of single phase, pore-to-pore conductance are compared to models in which such conductances are computed via standard pore body-channel-pore body series resistance (SR), with the conductance of each individual element (pore body, channel) based on geometric shape factor measurements. The LB computations, based upon actual channel geometry derived from X-ray computed tomographic imagery, reveal that the variation in conductance for channels having similar shape factor is much larger than is adequately captured by the geometric models. Fits to the dependence of median value of conductance versus shape factor from the LB-based computations show a power law dependence of higher power than that predicted by the geometric models. We introduce two network flow models based upon the LB conductance computations: one model is based upon LB computations for each pore-to-pore connection; the second is based upon a power law fit to the relationship between computed conductance and throat shape factor. Bulk absolute permeabilities for Fontainebleau sandstone images are computed using the SR-based network models and the two LB-based models. Both LB-based network models produce bulk absolute permeability values that fit published data more accurately than the SR-based models.
KW - Absolute permeability
KW - Hydraulic conductance
KW - Lattice-Boltzmann
KW - Network flow models
KW - Single-phase flow
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=63549086867&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.advwatres.2008.10.016
DO - 10.1016/j.advwatres.2008.10.016
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:63549086867
SN - 0309-1708
VL - 32
SP - 205
EP - 212
JO - Advances in Water Resources
JF - Advances in Water Resources
IS - 2
ER -