Application of Regularized Hydrodynamic Equations for Direct Numerical Simulation of Micro-Scale Flows in Core Samples

Abstract

The paper is devoted to numerical simulation of three-dimensional isothermal two-phase two-component viscous fluid flows with surface effects in the pore space of core samples. The voxel representation of the flow domain is used suitable for digital rock physics applications. The flow is described by viscous compressible Navier-Stokes-Cahn-Hilliard equations. In order to use simple and computationally efficient explicit numerical algorithms with central difference approximations of spatial terms, a quasi-hydrodynamic regularization of equations is used. Simulation results of fluid displacement in pore space of realistic core sample (sandstone) are presented. The results demonstrate the applicability and good prospects of quasi-hydrodynamic regularization technique to solve the problem.