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Temporal Evolution of Erosion in Pore Networks: From Homogenization to Instability
Ahmad Zareei1, Deng Pan1, Ariel Amir1
1School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02148, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|June 24, 2022
Summary
Flow in porous media can either homogenize or channelize based on erosion dynamics. Our study defines criteria to predict these distinct flow behaviors and their phase transitions.
Area of Science:
- Geosciences
- Physics
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Porous media flow is crucial in various scientific and engineering fields.
- Understanding flow dynamics in complex networks is essential for predicting system behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dynamics of single-phase flow in porous media under erosion.
- To identify conditions leading to flow homogenization versus channelization.
- To characterize the phase transition between these flow regimes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized two- and three-dimensional pore-network models.
- Simulated erosion dynamics with constitutive laws based on flow rate, velocity, or shear stress.
- Defined an order parameter to capture flow behaviors.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that erosion dynamics dictate whether flow homogenizes or develops channels.
- Identified a phase transition driven by erosion dynamics.
- Developed a simple model with quantitative criteria to predict flow regimes.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a framework for predicting flow behavior in porous media based on erosion.
- Results highlight the critical role of erosion laws in network dynamics.
- Findings have implications for experimental studies of porous media flow.
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