Multiphase immiscible flow through porous media

A finite element model is developed for multiphase flow through soil involving three immiscible fluids: namely air, water, and an organic fluid. A variational method is employed for the finite element formulation corresponding to the coupled differential equations governing the flow of the three fluid phase porous medium system with constant air phase pressure. Constitutive relationships for fluid conductivities and saturations as functions of fluid pressures which may be calibrated from two-phase laboratory measurements, are employed in the finite element program. The solution procedure uses iteration by a modified Picard method to handle the nonlinear properties and the backward method for a stable time integration. Laboratory experiments involving soil columns initially saturated with water and displaced by p-cymene (benzene-derivative hydrocarbon) under constant pressure were simulated by the finite element model to validate the numerical model and formulation for constitutive properties. Transient water outflow predicted using independently measured capillary head-saturation data agreed well with observed outflow data. Two-dimensional simulations are presented for eleven hypothetical field cases involving introduction of an organic fluid near the soil surface due to leakage from an underground storage tank. The subsequent transport of the organic fluid in the variably saturated vadose and ground water zones is analysed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Civil Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1986

Author dc:creator

• Sheng, Jopan

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Kuppusamy, Thangavelu

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Brandon, Thomas L.
• Frederick, Daniel
• Hunter, J.H.
• Krebs, Robert D.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/53630

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/53630