Physics-based models of hysteresis in multiphase flow in porous media

We propose a novel probabilistic framework based on pore-scale probabilistic events to derive a theory of hysteresis in multiphase flow in porous media. In particular, we define the pore-space accessivity to contrast the serial and parallel arrangement of different-radius pore slices, and the radius-resolved saturations to detail the pore-scale distribution of immiscible fluids. We show that accessivity can be measured by mercury cyclic porosimetry. Our microscopic theory of hysteresis produces simple formulae that are suitable for use as hysteresis-enabling constitutive laws for capillary pressure and relative permeabilities in conventional continuum simulations of multiphase flow.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Gu, Zongyu,Ph.D.Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Martin Z. Bazant.

• Chemical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/123723

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/123723