Reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3D X-ray CT images of porous rock

The hydraulic permeability is a key parameter for simulating the flow-related phenomenon so that its accurate estimation is crucial in both experimental and numerical simulation studies. 3D pore structure can be readily taken by X-ray computed tomography (CT) and it often serves as a flow domain for...

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Main Authors: Yang Eomzi, Kang Dong Hun, Yun Tae Sup
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2020-01-01
Series:E3S Web of Conferences
Online Access:https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2020/65/e3sconf_icegt2020_08004.pdf
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author Yang Eomzi
Kang Dong Hun
Yun Tae Sup
author_facet Yang Eomzi
Kang Dong Hun
Yun Tae Sup
author_sort Yang Eomzi
collection DOAJ
description The hydraulic permeability is a key parameter for simulating the flow-related phenomenon so that its accurate estimation is crucial in both experimental and numerical simulation studies. 3D pore structure can be readily taken by X-ray computed tomography (CT) and it often serves as a flow domain for pore-scale simulation. However, one encounters the challenges in segmenting the authentic pore structure owing to the finite size of image resolution and segmentation methods. Therefore, the loss of structural information in pore space seems unavoidable to result in the unreliable estimation of permeability. In this study, we propose a novel framework to overcome these limitations by using a flexible ternary segmentation scheme. Given the pore size distribution curve and porosity, three phases of pore, solid, and gray regions are segmented by considering the partial volume effect which holds the composition information of unresolved objects. The resolved objects such as solid and pore phases are taken to equivalently solve Stokes equation while the fluid flow through unresolved objects is simultaneously solved by Stokes-Brinkmann equation. The proposed numerical scheme to obtain the permeability is applied to Indiana limestone and Navajo sandstone. The results show that the computed hydraulic permeability is similar to the experimentally obtained value without being affected by image resolution. This approach has advantages of achieving consistent permeability values, less influenced by segmentation methods.
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spelling doaj.art-3e1e1de0e719429095605ca6fbc56ff22022-12-21T19:04:09ZengEDP SciencesE3S Web of Conferences2267-12422020-01-012050800410.1051/e3sconf/202020508004e3sconf_icegt2020_08004Reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3D X-ray CT images of porous rockYang Eomzi0Kang Dong Hun1Yun Tae Sup2School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei UniversitySchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of TechnologySchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei UniversityThe hydraulic permeability is a key parameter for simulating the flow-related phenomenon so that its accurate estimation is crucial in both experimental and numerical simulation studies. 3D pore structure can be readily taken by X-ray computed tomography (CT) and it often serves as a flow domain for pore-scale simulation. However, one encounters the challenges in segmenting the authentic pore structure owing to the finite size of image resolution and segmentation methods. Therefore, the loss of structural information in pore space seems unavoidable to result in the unreliable estimation of permeability. In this study, we propose a novel framework to overcome these limitations by using a flexible ternary segmentation scheme. Given the pore size distribution curve and porosity, three phases of pore, solid, and gray regions are segmented by considering the partial volume effect which holds the composition information of unresolved objects. The resolved objects such as solid and pore phases are taken to equivalently solve Stokes equation while the fluid flow through unresolved objects is simultaneously solved by Stokes-Brinkmann equation. The proposed numerical scheme to obtain the permeability is applied to Indiana limestone and Navajo sandstone. The results show that the computed hydraulic permeability is similar to the experimentally obtained value without being affected by image resolution. This approach has advantages of achieving consistent permeability values, less influenced by segmentation methods.https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2020/65/e3sconf_icegt2020_08004.pdf
spellingShingle Yang Eomzi
Kang Dong Hun
Yun Tae Sup
Reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3D X-ray CT images of porous rock
E3S Web of Conferences
title Reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3D X-ray CT images of porous rock
title_full Reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3D X-ray CT images of porous rock
title_fullStr Reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3D X-ray CT images of porous rock
title_full_unstemmed Reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3D X-ray CT images of porous rock
title_short Reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3D X-ray CT images of porous rock
title_sort reliable estimation of hydraulic permeability from 3d x ray ct images of porous rock
url https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2020/65/e3sconf_icegt2020_08004.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT yangeomzi reliableestimationofhydraulicpermeabilityfrom3dxrayctimagesofporousrock
AT kangdonghun reliableestimationofhydraulicpermeabilityfrom3dxrayctimagesofporousrock
AT yuntaesup reliableestimationofhydraulicpermeabilityfrom3dxrayctimagesofporousrock