Intrinsic Permeability of Hydrological Porous Mediums: Variation With Temperature

Abstract

Experiments designed to measure the intrinsic permeability of hydrological porous mediums have shown that in certain cases the permeability itself varies with temperature and is not constant, as was previously assumed. For cemented quartz mediums permeabilities were found to vary by as much as 0.5% per degree C over the temperature span (20–60°C) reported in this experimental study. Similar measurements with vitrified mediums showed no appreciable temperature coefficient of permeability. As a by‐product of the investigation a characteristic length parameter, in terms of the laminar (permeability) and inertial flow coefficients, has been used to define a modified Reynolds number for all porous mediums. This length parameter appears to be directly proportional to the mean pore dimension as determined from porosimetry measurements. The data obtained from all samples have been found to correlate well in graphical form and are presented in a generalized friction factor (modified Reynolds number) plot.