H11J-01
Development, Application, and Validation of Thermodynamically Constrained Averaging Theory Models of Porous Medium Systems
Monday, 14 December 2015: 08:00
3018 (Moscone West)
Cass T Miller1, William G Gray2, James E McClure3, Amanda L Dye1, Timothy M Weigand1, Scott Hauswirth1 and Pamela B Schultz2, (1)University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, (2)University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, (3)Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
Abstract:
The thermodynamically constrained averaging theory (TCAT) has been developed over the last decade as a rigorous, formal method of deriving mechanistic mathematical models that describe a wide range of porous medium systems. TCAT models are consistent across length scales and provide explicit linkages between important physics known to be operative at the microscale and larger scale models. This produces a straightforward mechanism to evaluate macroscale quantities based on information generated from microscale simulations or experiments as way to inform model development. TCAT models inherently include interface, common curve, and common point properties in models that admit such entities. Elements of the TCAT theory are discussed, model hierarchies are derived and summarized, and specific aspects of TCAT models are examined in detail. Comparisons of TCAT model constructs with both experimental data and high-resolution microscale simulations illustrate that, contrary to common belief, virtually all capillary pressure vs. saturation data that is available for two-fluid-phase systems is not equilibrium data. Agreement between theory and observation for TCAT models is demonstrated, and aspects of the models posed are validated.
