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3-D-geometry-triggered transition from monotonic to non-monotonic effects of wettability on multiphase displacements in homogeneous porous media

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2025

Wenhai Lei Open the ORCID record for Wenhai Lei [Opens in a new window] ,
Wenbo Gong ,
Xukang Lu ,
Yuankai Yang ,
Hai-en Yang  and
Moran Wang Open the ORCID record for Moran Wang [Opens in a new window]
Wenhai Lei
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Mechanics and ASP, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China Department of Engineering Mechanics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 100 44, Sweden
Wenbo Gong
Affiliation:
College of Safety and Ocean Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, PR China
Xukang Lu
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Mechanics and ASP, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
Yuankai Yang
Affiliation:
Institute of Fusion Energy and Nuclear Waste Management (IFN-2) - Nuclear Waste Management, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich 52425, Germany
Hai-en Yang
Affiliation:
Xi’an Changqing Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710021, PR China
Moran Wang*
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Mechanics and ASP, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
*
Corresponding author: Moran Wang, moralwang@jhu.edu, mrwang@tsinghua.edu.cn
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Abstract

Previous studies claimed that the non-monotonic effects of wettability came mainly from the heterogeneity of geometries or flow conditions on multiphase displacements in porous media. For macroscopic homogeneous porous media, without permeability contrast or obvious preferential flow pathways, most pore-scale evidence showed a monotonic trend of the wettability effect. However, this work reports transitions from monotonic to non-monotonic wettability effects when the dimension of the model system rises from two-dimensional (2-D) to three-dimensional (3-D), validated by both the network modelling and the microfluidic experiments. The mechanisms linking the pore-scale events to macroscopic displacement patterns have been analysed through direct simulations. For 2-D porous media, the monotonic effect of wettability comes from the consistent transition pattern for the full range of capillary numbers $Ca$, where the capillary fingering mode transitions to the compact displacement mode as the contact angle $\theta$ decreases. Yet, it is indicated that the 3-D porous geometries, even though homogeneous without permeability contrast or obvious preferential flow pathways, introduce a different $Ca$–$\theta$ phase diagram with new pore-scale events, such as the coupling of capillary fingering with snap-off during strong drainage, and frequent snap-off events during strong imbibition. These events depend strongly on geometric confinements and capillary numbers, leading to the non-monotonicity of wettability effects. Our findings provide new insights into the multiphase displacement dependent on wettability in various natural porous media and offer design principles for engineering artificial porous media to achieve desired immiscible displacement behaviours.

JFM classification

Low-Reynolds-number flows: Porous media Micro-/Nano-fluid dynamics: Microfluidics

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JFM Rapids
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Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 1014 , 10 July 2025 , R2
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© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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