Pore-network modeling of Ostwald ripening in porous media: How do trapped bubbles equilibrate?

Ostwald ripening of trapped bubbles in porous media is relevant to several subsurface (e.g., CO2 storage) and manufacturing (e.g., fuel cells) applications. A fundamental question common to both is: how does an initially heterogeneous distribution of bubble sizes, PDFo, evolve towards a stable equilibrium distribution, PDFe? And what is PDFe? We develop a pore-network model (PNM) that simulates the temporal evolution of a partially miscible population of bubbles from PDFo to PDFe. The PNM is validated against published micromodel experiments. We subsequently propose a theory that can predict PDFe directly. The predictions are compared against PNM simulations and found to be in close agreement. Using the PNM, we also show that bubble equilibration in heterogeneous porous media is a lot slower than homogeneous media. Limitations and potential extensions of both the PNM and the theory are discussed.

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Work Title Pore-network modeling of Ostwald ripening in porous media: How do trapped bubbles equilibrate?
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Yashar Mehmani
  2. Ke Xu
Keyword
  1. Porous media
  2. Ostwald ripening
  3. Pore network
  4. Equilibrium
  5. Trapping
  6. CO2 storage
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Journal of Computational Physics
Publication Date February 21, 2022
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2022.111041
Deposited July 20, 2022

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added Mehmani___Xu__2022__-_ostwald_preprint.pdf
  • Added Creator Yashar Mehmani
  • Added Creator Ke Xu
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword, Publication Date Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Porous media, Ostwald ripening, Pore network, Equilibrium, Trapping, CO2 storage
    Publication Date
    • 2022-02-09
    • 2022-02-21
  • Updated