LIU Xian-shan, SUN Meng, ZHENG Zhi-wei, et al. Modes and efficiency of two-phase displacement flow in complex pores[J]. 2025, 46(8): 2363-2375.
DOI:
LIU Xian-shan, SUN Meng, ZHENG Zhi-wei, et al. Modes and efficiency of two-phase displacement flow in complex pores[J]. 2025, 46(8): 2363-2375.DOI: 10.16285/j.rsm.2024.1186.
Modes and efficiency of two-phase displacement flow in complex pores
The two-phase displacement flow characteristics within complex porous rocks are pivotal to the recovery rates in unconventional oil and gas recovery as well as geothermal exploitation
garnering significant research interest. This study focuses on four types of porous media with both ordered and disordered structures
employing a self-constructed microfluidic experimental visualization setup to investigate the flow characteristics under five different flow rates and four distinct viscosities of the displaced fluid. The influence of capillary number
viscosity ratio
and the disorder of the porous structure on the two-phase displacement process is thoroughly analyzed. Findings indicate that the fractal dimension of the invading phase is correlated with the displacement pattern and positively associated with displacement efficiency
serving as a universal function of the invading phase's content. The distribution characteristics at displacement completion are intimately linked to the displacement mode. A transition from compact displacement to capillary fingering is marked by an increase in the quantity and standard deviation of the trapped phase. Conversely
the shift from capillary fingering to viscous fingering mirrors the transition from capillary fingering to ordered dendritic
characterized by a reduction in trapped phase quantity and an enlargement of standard deviation. Incorporating the impact of fluid viscosity ratios
a modified relationship between the capillary number and the displacement saturation of the invading phase is formulated
enabling the prediction of displacement efficiency that accounts for viscosity ratio effects.