• Rapid Communication

Strong influence of geometrical heterogeneity on drainage in porous media

Marta Romano, Max Chabert, Amandine Cuenca, and Hugues Bodiguel
Phys. Rev. E 84, 065302(R) – Published 22 December 2011
PDFHTMLExport Citation

Abstract

We present an experimental study of drainage in two-dimensional porous media exhibiting bimodal pore size distributions. The role of the pore size heterogeneity is investigated by measuring separately the desaturation curves of the two pore populations. The displaced wetting fluid remains trapped in small pores at low capillary numbers and is swept only above a critical capillary number proportional to the permeability of the big pores network. Based on this observation, we derive a simple criterion for phase trapping based on the balance of viscous to capillary forces. Numerical implementation of this theory in a pore network model quantitatively fits our experimental results. This combination of approaches demonstrates quantitatively the influence of geometrical heterogeneities on drainage in porous media.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 18 July 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.84.065302

©2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Marta Romano, Max Chabert, Amandine Cuenca, and Hugues Bodiguel*

  • Univ. Bordeaux, LOF, UMR 5258, F-33600 Pessac, France,
  • CNRS, LOF, UMR 5258, F-33600 Pessac, France, and
  • RHODIA, LOF, UMR 5258, F-33600 Pessac, France

  • *hugues.bodiguel@u-bordeaux1.fr

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

Supplemental Material (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 84, Iss. 6 — December 2011

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review E

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×