Numerical Study of Density-Driven Convection in Laminated Heterogeneous Porous Media

Abstract

In the present study, we use direct numerical simulation to investigate the density-driven convection in a two-dimensional anisotropic heterogeneous porous media associated with significant laminated formation. At first, the heterogeneous porous media are randomly generated to represent laminated structure, in which the horizontal correlation length of permeability field is much longer than the vertical counterpart. Then, a highly accurate pseudo-spectral method and compact finite difference scheme with higher order of accuracy are employed to numerically reproduce the convection flow in the laminated porous media. The results show that the laminated structures restrict interactions among the downward plumes of heavier fluid. The plumes tend to descend more straightly in a laminated porous medium associated with a slower growth rate. As a result, the laminated distribution of permeability is considered having an inhibiting effect on the convection flow.

Spreading and mixing during solutal convection in uniform porous media with application to geologic CO2 storage

“…The properties of the aquifers used are listed in the supporting information in Table S2 . [28][29][30][31], a uniform and isotropic porous medium is chosen, so as to exclude effects of heterogeneity or anisotropy on the results of the flow and mixing dynamics, and to provide a benchmark for future studies. The study is performed with a two-dimensional system to extend previous analyses reported in the literature that discusses the dissolution flux in detail but lacks a systematic evaluation of the macroscopic mixing behaviour.…”