Particle Transport in Fractured Networks: 3D Tracking to Resolve Surface-particle and Fluid-particle Interactions
Abstract
The transport of fluids and the particles within a fractured network is affected by the topological features of those networks—the branching geometry and surface roughness—and those features are unique to individual networks. Using a specially designed astigmatic macroscope for tracking in micron- to millimeter-scale networks, we measure in 3D the transport of particles through a microfluidic device with multiple channel branches (a surrogate system for fractured networks). The size of the particles establishes an initial distribution before entering that is then affected by the branching throughout the entire network. Larger particles form an annulus due to inertial focusing. This distribution, once established, does not permit particles to be transported into some segments of the channel network. However, smaller particles have a uniform distribution in the microfluidic device and pass into all of the branches, organizing into distributions that reflect the geometry of the channel surfaces. The impact of the initial particle distribution, generated by inertial focusing and the relative sizes of particles to the channels, can limit the effectiveness of particle transport. Simulations based on profilometric characterization of the device surfaces and irregularities match the experimental results with high-fidelity, demonstrating the capabilities of the hydrodynamic model.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFM.H41E..08R
- Keywords:
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- 1847 Modeling;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 1859 Rocks: physical properties;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 5104 Fracture and flow;
- PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS;
- 5139 Transport properties;
- PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS