Pore-Scale Permeability Calculation Using CFD and DSMC Techniques

ABSTRACT

Numerical experiments are performed to evaluate the capability and examine the computational costs and tradeoffs of numerical and analytical approaches for apparent gas permeability calculation. Considering the dominancy of capillary force in pore level studies, two-phase distribution maps are constructed within micro and nano-scale scale media using a quasi-static technique. The distribution profile of the non-wetting phase is then extracted to predict the effective permeability and analyze the effect of water saturation. To investigate the effect of gas slippage on the accuracy of the results, both Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) techniques are applied in a wide gas pressure range. The results reveal that the continuum theory is valid for a specific pore size and gas pressure range and its accuracy is strongly dependent on the Knudsen number value. DSMC simulation case studies demonstrate that in case of proper medium characterization, a tuned Klinkenberg correlation is capable of providing satisfying predictions within both slippage and transition flow regimes.

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