Parameters affecting the localized fluidization in a particle medium

Oscillations of a particle-laden fountain

Different regimes are usually observed for fluid migration through an immersed granular layer. In this work, we report a puzzling behavior when injecting water at a constant flow rate through a nozzle at the bottom of an immersed granular layer in a Hele-Shaw cell. In a given range of parameters (granular layer height and fluid flow rate) the granular bed is not only fluidized, but the particle-laden jet also exhibits periodic oscillations. The frequency and amplitude of the oscillations are quantified. The Strouhal number displays a power-law behavior as a function of a nondimensional parameter, J, defined as the ratio between the jet velocity at the initial granular bed height and the inertial particle velocity. Fluid-particle coupling is responsible for the jet oscillations. This mechanism could be at the origin of the cyclic behavior of pockmarks and mud volcanoes in sedimentary basins.

Future challenges on focused fluid migration in sedimentary basins: Insight from field data, laboratory experiments and numerical simulations

In a present context of sustainable energy and hazard mitigation, understanding fluid migration in sedimentary basins – large subsea provinces of fine saturated sands and clays – is a crucial challenge. Such migration leads to gas or liquid expulsion at the seafloor, whichmay be the signature of deep hydrocarbon reservoirs, or precursors to violent subsea fluid releases. If the former may orient future exploitation, the latter represent strong hazards for anthropic activities such as offshore production, CO$_2$ storage, transoceanic telecom fibers or deep-sea mining. However, at present, the dynamics of fluid migration in sedimentary layers, in particular the upper 500 m, still remains unknown in spite of its strong influence on fluid distribution at the seafloor. Understanding the mechanisms controlling fluid migration and release requires the combination of accurate field data, laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. Each technique shall lead to the understanding of the fluid structures, the mechanisms at stake, and deep insights into fundamental processes ranging from the grain scale to the kilometers-long natural pipes in the sedimentary layers.Here we review the present available techniques, advances and challenges still open for the geosciences, physics, and computer science communities.

Two-dimensional numerical simulation of chimney fluidization in a granular medium using a combination of discrete element and lattice Boltzmann methods

We present here a numerical study dedicated to the fluidization of a submerged granular medium induced by a localized fluid injection. To this end, a two-dimensional (2D) model is used, coupling the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) with the discrete element method (DEM) for a relevant description of fluid-grains interaction. An extensive investigation has been carried out to analyze the respective influences of the different parameters of our configuration, both geometrical (bed height, grain diameter, injection width) and physical (fluid viscosity, buoyancy). Compared to previous experimental works, the same qualitative features are recovered as regards the general phenomenology including transitory phase, stationary states, and hysteretic behavior. We also present quantitative findings about transient fluidization, for which several dimensionless quantities and scaling laws are proposed, and about the influence of the injection width, from localized to homogeneous fluidization. Finally, the impact of the present 2D geometry is discussed, by comparison to the real three-dimensional (3D) experiments, as well as the crucial role of the prevailing hydrodynamic regime within the expanding cavity, quantified through a cavity Reynolds number, that can presumably explain some substantial differences observed regarding upward expansion process of the fluidized zone when the fluid viscosity is changed.

Note: Eliminating stripe artifacts in light-sheet fluorescence imaging

We report two techniques to mitigate stripe artifacts in light-sheet fluorescence imaging. The first uses an image processing algorithm called the multidirectional stripe remover method to filter stripes from an existing image. The second uses an elliptical holographic diffuser with strong scattering anisotropy to prevent stripe formation during image acquisition. These techniques facilitate accurate interpretation of image data, especially in denser samples. They are also facile and cost-effective.