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Lattice-Boltzmann Simulations of Flow Through Fontainebleau Sandstone

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Multiphase Flow in Porous Media

Abstract

We report preliminary results from simulations of single-phase and two-phase flow through three-dimensional tomographic reconstructions of Fontainebleau sandstone. The simulations are performed with the lattice-Boltzmann method, a variant of lattice-gas cellular-automation models of fluid mechanics. Simulations of single-phase flow on a sample of linear size 0.2 cm yield a calculated permeability in the range 1.0–1.5 darcys, depending on direction, which compares qualitatively well with a laboratory measurement of 1.3 darcys on a sample approximately an order of magnitude larger. The sensitivity of permeability calculations to sample size, grid resolution, and choice of model parameters is quantified empirically. We also present a qualitative study of immiscible two-phase flow in a sample of linear size 0.05 cm; simulations of both drainage and imbibition are presented.

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Ferréol, B., Rothman, D.H. (1995). Lattice-Boltzmann Simulations of Flow Through Fontainebleau Sandstone. In: Adler, P.M. (eds) Multiphase Flow in Porous Media. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2372-5_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2372-5_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4645-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-2372-5

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