Abstract
Modeling flow through fractures is a major challenge in the design of recovery mechanisms from naturally fractured reservoirs, since proper structural characterization of fracture networks and fracture transport properties are rarely available. We investigate single-phase flow dynamics in a rough fracture model constructed from high-resolution X-ray computed tomography images, using computational fluid dynamics. Flow simulations gave a detailed description of pressure and velocity fields and showed that this approach can be used for the deterministic analysis of single-phase flow through fractures. Our results demonstrate the formation of preferential flow channels and their correlation with local structural characteristic of the fracture.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 897-905 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization and Environmental Effects |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 2009 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Nuclear Energy and Engineering
- Fuel Technology
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
