Fluid trapping during capillary displacement in fractures

摘要: The spatial distribution of fluid phases and the geometry fluid–fluid interfaces resulting from immiscible displacement in fractures cast decisive influence on a range macroscopic flow parameters. Most importantly, these are relative permeabilities fluids as well irreducible saturations. They also parameters for component (solute) transport, it usually occurs through one phase only. Here, we present numerical investigation critical role aperture variation correlation trapping morphology distributions geological fracture. We consider drainage capillary dominated regime. scale, that is, scale over which two facing fracture walls matched, varies among investigated geometries between L/256 L (self-affine fields), being domain/fracture length. variability is quantified by coefficient (δ), ranging various 0.05 to 0.25. use an invasion percolation based model has been shown properly reproduce patterns observed previous experiments. quantitative analysis size trapped clusters. show when in-plane curvature considered, amount mass first increases with increasing Lc then decreases further some intermediate towards domain length L. contributes smoothening front dampening entrapment clusters certain depends combination random standard deviation correlation.