We investigate the chemical dissolution of porous media using a 2D network model in which the system is represented as a series of interconnected pipes with the diameter of each segment increasing in proportion to the local reactant consumption. Moreover, the topology of the network is allowed to change dynamically during the simulation: As the diameters of the eroding pores become comparable with the interpore distances, the pores are joined together, thus changing the interconnections within the network. With this model, we investigate different growth regimes in an evolving porous medium, identifying the mechanisms responsible for the emergence of specific patterns. We consider both the random and regular network and study the effect of the network geometry on the patterns. Finally, we consider practically important problem of finding an optimum flow rate that gives a maximum increase in permeability for a given amount of reactant.

Reactive‐infiltration instability plays an important role in many geophysical problems yet theoretical models have rarely been validated experimentally. We study the dissolution of an analog fracture in a simple microfluidic setup, with a gypsum block inserted in between two polycarbonate plates. By changing the flow rate and the distance between the plates, we are able to scan a relatively wide range of Péclet and Damkhöhler numbers, characterizing the relative magnitude of advection, diffusion, and reaction in the system. We quantify the characteristic initial wavelengths of the perturbed fronts during the onset of instability. The results agree well with theoretical predictions based on linear stability analysis, thus experimentally validating current reactive‐infiltration instability theory and opening new opportunities for experimental assessment of mineral reactivity.

We report the results of experimental and numerical studies of two-phase flow in a periodic, rectangular network of microfluidic channels. This geometry promotes the formation of anisotropic, dendrite-like structures during viscous fingering experiments. The dendrites then compete with each other for the available flow, which leads to the appearance of hierarchical growth pattern. Combining experiments and numerical simulations, we analyze different growth regimes in such a system, depending on the network geometry and fluid properties. For immiscible fluids, a high degree of screening is present which results in a power-law distribution of finger lengths. Contrastingly, for miscible fluids, strong lateral currents of displaced fluid lead to the detachment of the heads of the longest fingers from their roots, thus preventing their further growth.