This is a theoretical study on the feasibility of replacing a medium containing microheterogeneities with an equivalent homogeneous medium. The infiltration of dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPL) in a water saturated heterogeneous porous medium is investigated numerically. The numerical model STOMP (Subsurface Transport Over Multiple Phases) is used and its suitability is proven by comparison of results with the experimental work of Kueper et al (1989). The proper boundary condition for this problem is identified and it is shown that the commonly used boundary condition is not physically correct. For a porous medium with a periodic heterogeneity, the existence of a representative elementary volume (REV), related to the spatial scale of heterogeneities is investigated. The upscaled permeabilities and constitutive relationships for the REV are numerically calculated and the effects of heterogeneities are discussed.
Revised: October 9, 2009 |
Published: December 1, 2000
Citation
Ataie-Ashtiani B., S.m. Hassanizadeh, M. Oostrom, and M.D. White. 2000.Numerical simulation and homogenization of two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media. In Groundwater Updates, Proceedings of the IAHR International Symposium on Groundwater, Tokyo, Japan, edited by K. Sato, Y. Iwasa, 333-338. New York, New York:Springer.PNNL-SA-31758.