Multi-level adaptive simulation of transient two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media

Chueh, C.C.; Secanell, M.; Bangerth, W.; Djilali, N.

Type

Article

Authors

Chueh, C.C.
Secanell, M.
Bangerth, W.
Djilali, N.

KAUST Grant Number

KUS-C1-016-04

Date

2010-10

Permanent link to this record

http://hdl.handle.net/10754/598899

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Abstract

An implicit pressure and explicit saturation (IMPES) finite element method (FEM) incorporating a multi-level shock-type adaptive refinement technique is presented and applied to investigate transient two-phase flow in porous media. Local adaptive mesh refinement is implemented seamlessly with state-of-the-art artificial diffusion stabilization allowing simulations that achieve both high resolution and high accuracy. Two benchmark problems, modelling a single crack and a random porous medium, are used to demonstrate the robustness of the method and illustrate the capabilities of the adaptive refinement technique in resolving the saturation field and the complex interaction (transport phenomena) between two fluids in heterogeneous media. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Citation

Chueh CC, Secanell M, Bangerth W, Djilali N (2010) Multi-level adaptive simulation of transient two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media. Computers & Fluids 39: 1585–1596. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compfluid.2010.05.011.

Sponsors

The work of the first, second and fourth authors was funded through the Canada Research Chairs Program and the MITACS Network of Centres of Excellence. Parts of the work by the third author (WB) were funded through Award No. KUS-C1-016-04, made by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, and through an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship.Thanks are due to Dr. Zhangxin Chen (University of Calgary) for his invaluable insights on finite element theory and to Mrs. Hsiao-Yun Janette Cheng (PhD candidate, University of Sheffield), for helping with the graphics.