Investigation of fluids flow behavior in nano-scale channels by using optic imaging system

"Tight gas and shale gas reservoirs are characterized to have small pores with diameters in nanometer (nm) range. The physics of fluid flow in nanopores is poorly understood. Knowing the fluid flow behavior in the nano-range channels is of major importance for stimulation design, gas production optimization and calculations of the relative permeability of gas in tight shale gas systems. In this work, a lab-on-chip approach for direct visualization of the fluid flow behavior in nano-scale channels was developed using an advanced epi-fluorescence microscopy method combined with a nano-fluidic chip. The nanofluidic chips with different dimensions were designed and fabricated. First a concentration dependent fluorescence signal correlation was developed for the determination of single phase flow rate. Experiments of water/gas flow in nano-scale channels with 100nm depth were conducted. Meanwhile, three different flow patterns were observed from two phase flow in nano-scale channels experiments and their special features were described. The displacements of two-phase flow in 100 nm depth slit-like channels were reported in the second part of this work. Specifically, the two-phase gas slippage factor as the function of water saturation was studied. Moreover, water/gas two phase displacements were visualized in nanochanels with various depths. The displacements mechanisms for both drainage and imbibition processes were discussed and water/gas relative permeability in nano-scale channels were summarized. The residue water/gas saturations in nano-scale channels were also characterized. The results of this work are crucial for permeability measurement and understanding fluid flow behavior for unconventional shale gas systems with nanopores."--Abstract, page iv.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D. in Chemistry

Grantor

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Year dc:date.available

2016

Author dc:creator

• Wu, Qihua

• Chemistry

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/2197

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsmine.mst.edu:doctoral_dissertations-3199