Coupled DEM–LBM simulation of internal fluidisation induced by a leaking pipe

Numerical Simulation of the Microscopic Plugging Mechanism and Particle Flow Process of the Microsphere System

The microsphere system has small initial particle size, excellent swelling performance, simple manufacturing process, and strong plugging ability. It has great application potential in the field of plugging and profile control of deep reservoirs. Microspheres can effectively plug the pores of fractured cores, inhibit the rapid breakthrough process, and improve the sweep efficiency of the injected fluids. However, the microscopic plugging mechanism of microspheres on fractured cores is still unclear. In this study, the distribution of microspheres after plugging was observed through specially prepared core models. Furthermore, the microscopic plugging mechanism of microspheres in fractured reservoir cores was clarified, including direct microsphere plugging, cluster bridging plugging, adhesion plugging, extrusion-deformation plugging, and extrusion-crushing plugging. Then, particle flow simulation software was used to establish the fluid-solid coupling model of microsphere plugging, and then, the numerical simulation of the plugging process was realized by Python module programming. Through this study, the plugging effect of microspheres under different fracture opening conditions was clarified. Moreover, the effects of injection pressure difference, fracture width, and particle size ratio on the fluid-solid structures of microsphere plugging were analyzed. The results show that the smaller the particle size ratio, the greater the injection pressure difference, the fracture width, and the reduction magnitudes in fracture porosity and core permeability and the higher the plugging rate. The numerical simulation results well support the microsphere plugging mechanism obtained by experiments. The results of this study can provide theoretical and technical support for the development of deep profile control and flooding and enhanced oil recovery technology of the polymer microsphere dispersion system in fractured low-permeability reservoirs.

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.

Continuum-Based Approach to Model Particulate Soil–Water Interaction: Model Validation and Insight into Internal Erosion

Resolving the interaction between soil and water is critical to understanding a wide range of geotechnical applications. In cases when hydrodynamic forces are dominant and soil fluidization is expected, it is necessary to account for the microscale interactions between soil and water. Some of the existing models such as coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM) can capture microscale interactions quite accurately. However, it is often computationally expensive and cannot be easily applied at a scale that would aid the design process. Contrastingly, continuum-based models such as the Two-Fluid Model (TFM) can be a computationally feasible and scalable alternative. In this study, we explored the potential of the TFM to simulate granular soil–water interactions. The model was validated by simulating the internal fluidization of a sand bed due to an upward water jet. Analogous to leakage from a pressurized pipe, the simulation was compared with the available experimental data to evaluate the model performance. The numerical results showed decent agreement with the experimental data in terms of excess pore water pressure, fluidization patterns, and physical deformations in violent flow regimes. Moreover, detailed soil characteristics such as particle size distribution could be implemented, which was previously considered a shortcoming of the model. Overall, the model’s performance indicates that TFM is a viable tool for the simulation of particulate soil–water mixtures.

Pore-Scale Simulations of Particles Migration and Deposition in Porous Media Using LBM-DEM Coupling Method

This paper studies the migration and deposition of suspended particles in porous media. This problem results from the fact that during the operation of a groundwater source heat pump, the recharging process will contribute to the impairment of soil permeability. A coupling lattice Boltzmann method, discrete element method and immersed moving boundary method were used to investigate the migration of particles in porous media. The DKT (Drifting, Kissing, Tumbling) phenomena were employed to validate our program. The coupled effects of concentration, flow rate and pH on the clogging mechanism of the porous media were analyzed. Results show that, due to the repulsive barrier between the particles and porous media, there is a critical velocity. At a low flow rate, the deposition ratio increases with the increase in velocity. Beyond the critical velocity, the deposition ratio decreases when the velocity increases due to higher shear force. Permeability impairment increases with the increase in concentration, especially in the low flow rate condition. Changes in pH mainly affect the repulsive barrier. For a low flow rate, the decrease in repulsive barrier greatly promotes the deposition of particles. Under the condition of favorable deposition, the increase in flow rate reduces the deposition phenomenon. Under the condition of unfavorable deposition, the lower flow rate condition has a lower deposition ratio. The process of particle deposition and the dynamic motion after deposition were observed such as particles gliding over the surface. Accumulated particles in the downstream form bridges and hinder fluid flow. At a high flow rate, strong shear force is more capable of destroying bridges and recovering permeability. Adsorbed particles glide on the surface of the grain and deposit in the downstream. This paper aims to help understanding of the micro-events of particle deposition and the clogging process.

CFD–DEM Simulations of Seepage-Induced Erosion

Increases in seepage force reduce the effective stress of particles and result in the erosion of particles, producing heave failure and piping. Sheet piles/cutoff walls are often employed in dams to control the seepage. In this study, a computational fluid dynamics solver involving two fluid phases was developed and coupled with discrete element method software to simulate the piping process around a sheet pile/cutoff wall. Binary-sized particles were selected to study the impact of fine particles on the mechanisms of seepage. The seepage phenomenon mainly appeared among fine particles located in the downstream side, with the peak magnitudes of drag force and displacement occurring around the retaining wall. Based on the particle-scale observations, the impact of seepage produced a looser condition for the region concentrated around the retaining wall and resulted in an anisotropic condition in the soil skeleton. The results indicate that heave behavior occurs when the drag force located adjacent to the boundary on the downstream side is larger than the corresponding weight of the bulk soil.

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.

Localized fluidization in granular materials: Theoretical and numerical study

We present analytical and numerical results on localized fluidization within a granular layer subjected to a local injection of fluid. As the injection rate increases the three different regimes previously reported in the literature are recovered: homogeneous expansion of the bed, fluidized cavity in which fluidization starts developing above the injection area, and finally the chimney of fluidized grains when the fluidization zone reaches the free surface. The analytical approach is at the continuum scale, based on Darcy's law and Therzaghi's effective stress principle. It provides a good description of the phenomenon as long as the porosity of the granular assembly remains relatively homogeneous, i.e., for small injection rates. The numerical approach is at the particle scale based on the coupled discrete element method and a pore-scale finite volume method. It tackles the more heterogeneous situations which occur at larger injection rates. The results from both methods are in qualitative agreement with data published independently. A more quantitative agreement is achieved by the numerical model. A direct link is evidenced between the occurrence of the different regimes of fluidization and the injection aperture. While narrow apertures let the three different regimes be distinguished clearly, larger apertures tend to produce a single homogeneous fluidization regime. In the former case, it is found that the transition between the cavity regime and the chimney regime for an increasing injection rate coincides with a peak in the evolution of inlet pressure. Finally, the occurrence of the different regimes is defined in terms of the normalized flux and aperture.