Interfacial Fluid Dynamics in Porous Media
A beautiful array of patterns emerges when one fluid displaces another in porous media, a physical situation prevalent in many clean energy production and storage applications. These patterns can be reminiscent of dielectric breakdown, diffusion-limited growth of crystals, or percolation clusters in...
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| Format: | Thesis |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2022
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/144492 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8162-2471 |
| _version_ | 1811085770979540992 |
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| author | Primkulov, Bauyrzhan K. |
| author2 | Juanes, Ruben |
| author_facet | Juanes, Ruben Primkulov, Bauyrzhan K. |
| author_sort | Primkulov, Bauyrzhan K. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | A beautiful array of patterns emerges when one fluid displaces another in porous media, a physical situation prevalent in many clean energy production and storage applications. These patterns can be reminiscent of dielectric breakdown, diffusion-limited growth of crystals, or percolation clusters in polymer gelation, depending on the relative affinity of the two fluids to the porous medium (wettability) and the balance of viscous and capillary forces. Examining this rich system at microscopic and macroscopic scales is at the center of this dissertation.
In Part I, we build computational models to capture macroscopic fluid-fluid displacement patterns in disordered porous media, which helps synthesize decades' worth of experimental observations. We draw parallels between electrical circuits and flow in porous media, where resistors model viscous effects and a combination of batteries and capacitors model capillary forces. This simple analogy, augmented with wettability-dependent pore-invasion mechanisms, allows capturing the rich dynamics of pattern formation within a single pore-network model and helps delineate the role of wettability. Finally, we explore intriguing features of self-organized criticality during fluid-fluid displacement in disordered porous media.
In Part II, we examine fluid displacement at a scale of a single capillary. We use lubrication theory to produce precise predictions of film evolution during spin-coating of capillary tubes---a technique one can use to fabricate capillaries with controlled surface properties. We then study the spontaneous imbibition of liquids in capillary tubes, where classical imbibition front slows with time. We propose a simple modification that renders imbibition constant-rate in capillary tubes and allows tuning of viscous dissipation; we use this system to characterize sources of dissipation during fluid-fluid displacement. We conclude Part II by revisiting the theory of moving contact lines over heterogeneous surfaces and rationalizing the transition from stick-slip to steady sliding.
The physical problems we investigate in this dissertation may prove helpful in addressing our current environmental challenges by inspiring physics-informed advances in CO₂ storage, electrolyzers and fuel cells, design of sustainable micromechanical devices and self-cleaning surfaces. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:15:25Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/144492 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:15:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1444922022-08-30T03:30:06Z Interfacial Fluid Dynamics in Porous Media Primkulov, Bauyrzhan K. Juanes, Ruben Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering A beautiful array of patterns emerges when one fluid displaces another in porous media, a physical situation prevalent in many clean energy production and storage applications. These patterns can be reminiscent of dielectric breakdown, diffusion-limited growth of crystals, or percolation clusters in polymer gelation, depending on the relative affinity of the two fluids to the porous medium (wettability) and the balance of viscous and capillary forces. Examining this rich system at microscopic and macroscopic scales is at the center of this dissertation. In Part I, we build computational models to capture macroscopic fluid-fluid displacement patterns in disordered porous media, which helps synthesize decades' worth of experimental observations. We draw parallels between electrical circuits and flow in porous media, where resistors model viscous effects and a combination of batteries and capacitors model capillary forces. This simple analogy, augmented with wettability-dependent pore-invasion mechanisms, allows capturing the rich dynamics of pattern formation within a single pore-network model and helps delineate the role of wettability. Finally, we explore intriguing features of self-organized criticality during fluid-fluid displacement in disordered porous media. In Part II, we examine fluid displacement at a scale of a single capillary. We use lubrication theory to produce precise predictions of film evolution during spin-coating of capillary tubes---a technique one can use to fabricate capillaries with controlled surface properties. We then study the spontaneous imbibition of liquids in capillary tubes, where classical imbibition front slows with time. We propose a simple modification that renders imbibition constant-rate in capillary tubes and allows tuning of viscous dissipation; we use this system to characterize sources of dissipation during fluid-fluid displacement. We conclude Part II by revisiting the theory of moving contact lines over heterogeneous surfaces and rationalizing the transition from stick-slip to steady sliding. The physical problems we investigate in this dissertation may prove helpful in addressing our current environmental challenges by inspiring physics-informed advances in CO₂ storage, electrolyzers and fuel cells, design of sustainable micromechanical devices and self-cleaning surfaces. Ph.D. 2022-08-29T15:51:11Z 2022-08-29T15:51:11Z 2022-05 2022-06-15T20:49:31.037Z Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/144492 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8162-2471 In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted Copyright MIT http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/ application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Primkulov, Bauyrzhan K. Interfacial Fluid Dynamics in Porous Media |
| title | Interfacial Fluid Dynamics in Porous Media |
| title_full | Interfacial Fluid Dynamics in Porous Media |
| title_fullStr | Interfacial Fluid Dynamics in Porous Media |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interfacial Fluid Dynamics in Porous Media |
| title_short | Interfacial Fluid Dynamics in Porous Media |
| title_sort | interfacial fluid dynamics in porous media |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/144492 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8162-2471 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT primkulovbauyrzhank interfacialfluiddynamicsinporousmedia |