Brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using Navier-Stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces

A sand pack and a sandstone were imaged with micro-computed tomography at nominal voxel sizes of approximately (6μm)3. From these images the pore morphologies of the porous media were obtained by segmentation. The segmented images were then used to generate surface and volume meshes of pore spaces f...

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Main Authors: Ahmed, S., Iglauer, Stefan
Other Authors: CSIRO
Format: Conference Paper
Published: CSIRO 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.cfd.com.au/cfd_conf12/PDFs/193AHM.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2846
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author Ahmed, S.
Iglauer, Stefan
author2 CSIRO
author_facet CSIRO
Ahmed, S.
Iglauer, Stefan
author_sort Ahmed, S.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description A sand pack and a sandstone were imaged with micro-computed tomography at nominal voxel sizes of approximately (6μm)3. From these images the pore morphologies of the porous media were obtained by segmentation. The segmented images were then used to generate surface and volume meshes of pore spaces for flow analysis. Three-dimensional, steady state, isothermal, incompressible single phase fluid flow fields were obtained by solving the continuity and Navier-Stokes equations. An inlet boundary condition was set by specifying the brine injection velocity while a pressure boundary condition was prescribed at the outlet, which resulted in laminar flow, and which is representative of flow in aquifers or oil reservoirs. From the pressure and velocity vector fields we computed the total pressure drop across the sample and the area-averaged velocity at the inlet with which we then determined brine permeability for each porous medium. The predicted permeabilities were consistent with experimental core-flood data; the presented approach is therefore a rapid and cost-effective method to determine single-phase permeabilities of incompressible fluids in porous media. Only small dry rock fragments are required for the described analysis.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-28462017-02-28T01:25:45Z Brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using Navier-Stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces Ahmed, S. Iglauer, Stefan CSIRO porous media prediction CFD permeability A sand pack and a sandstone were imaged with micro-computed tomography at nominal voxel sizes of approximately (6μm)3. From these images the pore morphologies of the porous media were obtained by segmentation. The segmented images were then used to generate surface and volume meshes of pore spaces for flow analysis. Three-dimensional, steady state, isothermal, incompressible single phase fluid flow fields were obtained by solving the continuity and Navier-Stokes equations. An inlet boundary condition was set by specifying the brine injection velocity while a pressure boundary condition was prescribed at the outlet, which resulted in laminar flow, and which is representative of flow in aquifers or oil reservoirs. From the pressure and velocity vector fields we computed the total pressure drop across the sample and the area-averaged velocity at the inlet with which we then determined brine permeability for each porous medium. The predicted permeabilities were consistent with experimental core-flood data; the presented approach is therefore a rapid and cost-effective method to determine single-phase permeabilities of incompressible fluids in porous media. Only small dry rock fragments are required for the described analysis. 2012 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2846 http://www.cfd.com.au/cfd_conf12/PDFs/193AHM.pdf CSIRO restricted
spellingShingle porous media
prediction
CFD
permeability
Ahmed, S.
Iglauer, Stefan
Brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using Navier-Stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces
title Brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using Navier-Stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces
title_full Brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using Navier-Stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces
title_fullStr Brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using Navier-Stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces
title_full_unstemmed Brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using Navier-Stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces
title_short Brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using Navier-Stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces
title_sort brine permeability predictions for sand packs and sandstones using navier-stokes equations and three-dimensional micro-tomography images of pore spaces
topic porous media
prediction
CFD
permeability
url http://www.cfd.com.au/cfd_conf12/PDFs/193AHM.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2846