A two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media

Abstract Modelling fluid flow in an unsaturated porous medium is a complex problem with many practical applications. There is enough experimental and theoretical evidence that the standard continuum mechanics based modelling approach is unable to capture many important features of porous media flow....

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Autores principales:	Jakub Kmec, Tomáš Fürst, Rostislav Vodák, Miloslav Šír
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/ceda02e543b244d3877338b658f33710
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id	oai:doaj.org-article:ceda02e543b244d3877338b658f33710
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:ceda02e543b244d3877338b658f337102021-12-02T14:06:58ZA two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media10.1038/s41598-021-82317-x2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/ceda02e543b244d3877338b658f337102021-02-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82317-xhttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Modelling fluid flow in an unsaturated porous medium is a complex problem with many practical applications. There is enough experimental and theoretical evidence that the standard continuum mechanics based modelling approach is unable to capture many important features of porous media flow. In this paper, a two-dimensional semi-continuum model is presented that combines ideas from continuum mechanics with invasion percolation models. The medium is divided into blocks of finite size that retain the nature of a porous medium. Each block is characterized by its porosity, permeability, and a retention curve. The saturation and pressure of the fluids are assumed to be uniform throughout each block. It is demonstrated that the resulting semi-continuum model is able to reproduce (1) gravity induced preferential flow with a spatially rich system of rivulets (fingers) characterized by saturation overshoot, (2) diffusion-like flow with a monotonic saturation profile, (3) the transition between the two. The model helps to explain the formation of the preferential pathways and their persistence and structure (the core and fringe of the fingers), the effect of the initial saturation of the matrix, and the saturation overshoot phenomenon.Jakub KmecTomáš FürstRostislav VodákMiloslav ŠírNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Jakub Kmec Tomáš Fürst Rostislav Vodák Miloslav Šír A two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media
description	Abstract Modelling fluid flow in an unsaturated porous medium is a complex problem with many practical applications. There is enough experimental and theoretical evidence that the standard continuum mechanics based modelling approach is unable to capture many important features of porous media flow. In this paper, a two-dimensional semi-continuum model is presented that combines ideas from continuum mechanics with invasion percolation models. The medium is divided into blocks of finite size that retain the nature of a porous medium. Each block is characterized by its porosity, permeability, and a retention curve. The saturation and pressure of the fluids are assumed to be uniform throughout each block. It is demonstrated that the resulting semi-continuum model is able to reproduce (1) gravity induced preferential flow with a spatially rich system of rivulets (fingers) characterized by saturation overshoot, (2) diffusion-like flow with a monotonic saturation profile, (3) the transition between the two. The model helps to explain the formation of the preferential pathways and their persistence and structure (the core and fringe of the fingers), the effect of the initial saturation of the matrix, and the saturation overshoot phenomenon.
format	article
author	Jakub Kmec Tomáš Fürst Rostislav Vodák Miloslav Šír
author_facet	Jakub Kmec Tomáš Fürst Rostislav Vodák Miloslav Šír
author_sort	Jakub Kmec
title	A two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media
title_short	A two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media
title_full	A two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media
title_fullStr	A two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media
title_full_unstemmed	A two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media
title_sort	two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/ceda02e543b244d3877338b658f33710
work_keys_str_mv	AT jakubkmec atwodimensionalsemicontinuummodeltoexplainwettingfrontinstabilityinporousmedia AT tomasfurst atwodimensionalsemicontinuummodeltoexplainwettingfrontinstabilityinporousmedia AT rostislavvodak atwodimensionalsemicontinuummodeltoexplainwettingfrontinstabilityinporousmedia AT miloslavsir atwodimensionalsemicontinuummodeltoexplainwettingfrontinstabilityinporousmedia AT jakubkmec twodimensionalsemicontinuummodeltoexplainwettingfrontinstabilityinporousmedia AT tomasfurst twodimensionalsemicontinuummodeltoexplainwettingfrontinstabilityinporousmedia AT rostislavvodak twodimensionalsemicontinuummodeltoexplainwettingfrontinstabilityinporousmedia AT miloslavsir twodimensionalsemicontinuummodeltoexplainwettingfrontinstabilityinporousmedia
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A two dimensional semi-continuum model to explain wetting front instability in porous media

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