Macroscopic modeling of turbulent mass transport in heterogeneous porous media

Abstract

In this work, results for a macroscopic mass transport model are presented for a parallel plate channel filled with a fluid saturated heterogeneous porous medium. The numerical methodology herein employed is based on the control volume approach. Turbulence is assumed to exist within the fluid phase. High and low Reynolds k-e models were used to model such non-linear effects. The flow equations at the pore-scale were numerically solved using the SIMPLE method applied to a non-orthogonal boundary-fitted coordinate system. Integrated mass fraction results were compiled leading to correlations for the mass dispersion coefficients in the x and y directions. Application of the macroscopic model using the proposed correlations showed the role of dispersion mechanism in the overall transport in porous media. Copyright 2004 by ASME.