Effect of control domains of fractures and caves on reactive transport in porous media

Abstract

It is often highly difficult to predict the main flow path of reactive fluids in porous media with complexly distributed fractures and/or caves. Based on Darcy's law, this research defines the control domain of fractures/caves that represents the interference range of fractures/caves. This control domain can be used to identify the connectivity possibility between fractures/caves and predict the flow paths of reactive fluids at the optimal flow rate. Furthermore, after simplifying the geometry of fractures/caves, a threshold geometric aspect ratio of 20 is set to distinguish fractures and caves, concerning the flow mechanisms, by clarifying the ranges of control domains. Moreover, the control domain theory is combined with the two-scale continuum model for acidizing carbonate rocks to estimate the flow paths of acid in fractured-vuggy carbonate rocks at an optimal flow rate, thereby validating the accuracy of the reactive fluid main flow path estimation based on the control domain theory. The primary criterion to determine the reactive transport in porous media with complex fracture/cave distribution is the overlap degrees of control domains of adjacent isobaric bodies along their width and length directions, while the directions of isobaric bodies offer supplementary material. If the control domains of two isobaric bodies overlap with each other perpendicular to the flow direction, these isobaric bodies have higher odds of connected fluid flow.