Iranian Chemical Engineering Journal

Iranian Chemical Engineering Journal

A Review of Various Methods of Multiphase Flow Modeling in Porous Media

Authors
1 Ph. D. Student of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology
2 Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology
3 Professor of Polymer Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology
Abstract
Multiphase fluid flows occur when two or more fluids that could not be able to mix (such as air and water) find an interface. Multiphase flows can be categorized to single component multiphase fluids, e.g., water and vapor, and multi-component multiphase fluids such as oil-water mixture in porous media. These multiphase flow modeling methods that are divided into microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic approaches have been the major focus of this review paper by emphasizing on the methods of population balance model, level set, phase field, lattice boltzmann, size exclusion, front-tracking, and volume of fluid. As result of this study, it could be mentioned that the front-tracking and phase field methods could be accounted as methods with high accuracy and that level set and volume of fluid methods are conceptually simple, while the phase field methods are struggling with complex computational analysis. Achieving to the numerical instability like what happens to the lattice Boltzmann method is more probable than phase field and volume of fluid method. Less time is the main advantage of the lattice Boltzmann method while the population balance method is suffering from long time of analysis. Finally, selection of an appropriate methods most be excuted based on concept of problem, time, cost and accuracy of considering systems.
 
Keywords
Subjects

[1]         Parker, J. C. (1989). Multiphase flow and transport in porous media. Reviews of Geophysics, 27(3), 311-328. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1029/RG027i003p00311
[2]        Golparvar, A., Zhou, Y., Wu, K., Ma, J., & Yu, Z. (2018). A comprehensive review of pore scale modeling methodologies for multiphase flow in porous media. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2(4), 418-440.
[3]        Huang, H., Sukop, M., & Lu, X. (2015). Multiphase lattice Boltzmann methods: Theory and application.
[4]        Esfahlan, M. S., Khodapanah, E., & Tabatabaei-Nezhad, S. A. (2021). Comprehensive review on the research and field application of preformed particle gel conformance control technology. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 202, 108440.
[5]        Liu, Y., Hou, J., Wang, Q., Liu, J., Guo, L., Yuan, F., & Zhou, K. (2017). Flow of preformed particle gel through porous media: a numerical simulation study based on the size exclusion theory. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 56(10), 2840-2850.
[6]        She, D. (2019). Conservative Front Tracking State University of New York at Stony Brook].
[7]        Klingenberg, C., & Plohr, B. (1991). An introduction to front tracking. In Multidimensional Hyperbolic Problems and Computations , 203-216, Springer.
[8]        She, D., Kaufman, R., Lim, H., Melvin, J., Hsu, A., & Glimm, J. (2016). Front-tracking methods. In Handbook of Numerical Analysis,17, 383-402, Elsevier.
[9]        Izbassarov, D., & Muradoglu, M. (2015). A front-tracking method for computational modeling of viscoelastic two-phase flow systems. Journal of
Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
, 223, 122-140.
[10]      Wen, T., Lu, L., & Luo, Y. (2021). Review on the fundamentals and investigations of falling film dehumidification/absorption refrigeration based on CFD technology. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 171, 121042.
[11]      Gopala, V. R., & van Wachem, B. G. (2008). Volume of fluid methods for immiscible-fluid and free-surface flows. Chemical engineering journal, 141(1-3), 204-221.
[12]      Choi, B., Jeong, M. S., & Lee, K. S. (2015). Numerical Modelling on Dynamic Adsorption of Viscoelastic Polymer in Near Wellbore Conditions by Population Balance Method. SPE Asia Pacific Enhanced Oil Recovery Conference,
[13]      Hu, G., Ma, Y., Zhang, H., & Liu, Q. (2021). A mini-review on population balance model for gas-liquid subcooled boiling flow in nuclear industry. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 157, 108174.
[14]      Solsvik, J., & Jakobsen, H. A. (2015). The foundation of the population balance equation: a review. Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 36(4),
510-520.
[15]      Chalk, P., Gooding, N., Hutten, S., You, Z., & Bedrikovetsky, P. (2011). Laboratory and theoretical investigation of size exclusion suspension flow in rocks. SPE European Formation Damage Conference,
[16]      Moradi, S., Mahvelati, E. H., Ameli, F., Dabir, B., & Rashtchian, D. (2017). Application of population balance equation in modeling of asphaltene particle size distribution and characterization of aggregation mechanisms under miscible gas Injection. Journal of Molecular Liquids, 232, 207-213.
[17]      Sethian, J. A., & Smereka, P. (2003). Level set methods for fluid interfaces. Annual review of fluid mechanics, 35(1), 341-372.
[18]      Enright, D., Fedkiw, R., Ferziger, J., & Mitchell, I. (2002). A hybrid particle level set method for improved interface capturing. Journal of computational physics, 183(1), 83-116.
[19]      Helland, J. O., Pedersen, J., Friis, H. A., & Jettestuen, E. (2019). A multiphase level set approach to motion of disconnected fluid ganglia during
capillary-dominated three-phase flow in porous media: Numerical validation and applications. Chemical Engineering Science, 203, 138-162.
[20]      Wang, F., Guo, C., & Gao, Y. (2014). Formation of a polymer thin wall using the level set method. International Journal of Geomechanics, 14(5), 04014021.
[21]      Badalassi, V. E., Ceniceros, H. D., & Banerjee, S. (2003). Computation of multiphase systems with phase field models. Journal of computational physics, 190(2), 371-397.
[22]      Jacqmin, D. (1999). Calculation of two-phase Navier–Stokes flows using phase-field modeling. Journal of computational physics, 155(1), 96-127.
[23]      Akhlaghi Amiri, H. A. (2014). Pore-level Influence of Contact Angle on Fluid Displacements In Porous Media. COMSOL Conference 2014,
[24]      Amiri, H. A., & Hamouda, A. A. (2013). Evaluation of level set and phase field methods in modeling two phase flow with viscosity contrast through
dual-permeability porous medium. International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 52, 22-34.
[25]      Hayatolgheibi, S. H., Ameli, F., & Moghbeli, M. R. (2021). Performance Mechanism of Hydrogel for Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Numerical Simulation Study Based on the Phase-Field Approach.
[26]      Ramstad, T., Berg, C. F., & Thompson, K. (2019). Pore-scale simulations of single-and two-phase flow in porous media: approaches and applications. Transport in Porous Media, 130(1), 77-104.
[27]      Sudhakar, T., & Das, A. K. (2020). Evolution of multiphase lattice Boltzmann method: A review. Journal of The Institution of Engineers (India): Series C, 101(4), 711-719.
[28]      Wei, B., Hou, J., & Zhao, E. (2021). Effects of
Non-Newtonian Fluid Characteristics on Flow Dynamics in Polymer Flooding: a Lattice Boltzmann Study. SPE Europec featured at 82nd EAGE Conference and Exhibition,