Seminar on Multiphase Flow in Porous Media
Date:
Title: From Pore-Resolved Interface Tracking Algorithm to Engineered PoroFluidics
Abstract: Multiphase flow in porous media is involved in various natural and industrial applications, including water infiltration into soils and underground gas storage for carbon and hydrogen. Understanding the invasion morphology at the pore scale is critical for better prediction of flow properties at the continuum scale in partially saturated permeable media. In this talk, I will present an interface tracking algorithm (ITA) that incorporates essential pore-scale invasion mechanisms for simulating multiphase flow in capillary dominated regime. The algorithm allows the captures of the actual shape of porous medium with arbitrary geometrical features, including convex and concave particles, as well as the sharp edge pinning effect of menisci at corners. With this efficient numerical tool, I will further discuss two extensions of this method: (1) generating large datasets for machine learning exercises; and (2) expanding design capabilities for material microstructure. For the latter, the knowledge from multiphase flow in disorder porous media can be transferred to engineered porous microfluidics, or poroFluidics, enabling precise temporal and spatial control of fluid flow.