Effects of macro-scale heterogeneity on the kinetic interface-sensitive tracer test for measuring the fluid–fluid interfacial area in dynamic two-phase flow in porous media

摘要: A novel reactive smart tracer method, termed the kinetic interface-sensitive (KIS) tracer test, has been demonstrated in laboratory column experiments to enable measurement of the specific capillary-associated fluid–fluid interfacial area in dynamic two-phase flow displacement processes in porous media. Development of the tracer method towards effective application in real field conditions requires investigation of the influence of the porous media heterogeneity on the front size and the specific interfacial area, and, consequently, in how far a kinetic interface-sensitive tracer experiment, and the corresponding breakthrough curves, are affected. This study employs a two-dimensional Darcy-scale two-phase flow reactive transport model to investigate numerically the KIS tracer transport in heterogeneous porous media. Simulations were carried out for the primary drainage process in a domain formed of fine and …