Egalitarianism among Bubbles in Porous Media: An Ostwald Ripening Derived Anticoarsening Phenomenon

Xu, Ke; Bonnecaze, Roger T.; Balhoff, Matthew T.

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.119.264502

Cited by 57 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…This observation agrees with previous experimental studies in the absence of gravity (Garing et al, 2017;Xu et al, 2017). This observation agrees with previous experimental studies in the absence of gravity (Garing et al, 2017;Xu et al, 2017).…”

Section: A Demonstration Casesupporting

confidence: 94%

“…Equation (5) is also consistent with a previously validated model for bubble ripening (excluding gravity) at the scale of multiple interconnected pores (Xu et al, 2017). Equation (5) is also consistent with a previously validated model for bubble ripening (excluding gravity) at the scale of multiple interconnected pores (Xu et al, 2017).…”

Section: Upscaling From Pore Scale To Continuum Scalesupporting

confidence: 82%

“…At equilibrium, Ostwald ripening leads to the formation of a single large bubble that may become hydrodynamically unstable (Fu et al, 2016). This observation has been confirmed by recent pore-scale (Xu et al, 2017) and core-scale (Garing et al, 2017) experiments and pore-scale modeling (de Chalendar et al, 2018). This observation has been confirmed by recent pore-scale (Xu et al, 2017) and core-scale (Garing et al, 2017) experiments and pore-scale modeling (de Chalendar et al, 2018).…”

Section: 1029/2019gl085175supporting

confidence: 57%

“…While recent studies (de Chalendar et al, 2018;Garing et al, 2017;Xu et al, 2017) have provided valuable insight into the effect of Ostwald ripening on capillary trapping, the influence of gravity has thus far been ignored. Neglecting gravity is indeed a reasonable assumption when studying hydrodynamic stability of trapped bubble because capillary forces at the pore scale are much stronger than buoyancy forces in the subsurface (Perkins & Johnston, 1963;Whitaker, 1967).…”

Section: 1029/2019gl085175mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Correspondence to: K. Xu While it is known that capillary trapping is hydrodynamically stable, its thermodynamic stability has been the subject of investigation only recently (Xu et al, 2017, de Chalendar et al, 2018, Garing et al, 2017. In the absence of geometric confinement, Ostwald ripening (Fu et al, 2016, Voorhees, 1985, Voorhees, 1992 is the mechanism that causes the diffusion of CO 2 from small bubbles towards large bubbles.…”

Section: 1029/2019gl085175mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gravity‐Induced Bubble Ripening in Porous Media and Its Impact on Capillary Trapping Stability

Mehmani

Shang

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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Capillary or residual trapping is considered one of the safest geologic CO 2 storage mechanisms due to its hydrodynamic stability. We present a first study of the impact of gravity on Ostwald ripening in porous media and show it may render capillary trapping thermodynamically unstable. Gravity induces a vertical chemical potential gradient that leads to the upwards diffusion of CO 2 . Thus, bubbles at shallower depths grow at the expense of bubbles in deeper strata, leading to the formation of an overriding gas cap. We first develop a pore-scale model for two bubbles trapped within adjacent pores and then upscale it to obtain a one-dimensional continuum model. We use the latter to predict the macroscopic evolution of a trapped bubble population. Factors controlling the ripening process are isolated to assist in selecting CO 2 storage sites. Gravity-induced ripening may also play a role in geologic fluid emplacement and migration over millions of years.Plain Language Summary Capillary trapping is a mechanism that ensures that the CO 2 injected during geologic carbon sequestration remains stable and safe underground. However, the stability of sequestered CO 2 can be disrupted by another competing mechanism called Ostwald ripening. In Ostwald ripening, CO 2 is transported from smaller bubbles towards larger bubbles. This is undesirable since large bubbles may become remobilized and potentially leak towards the surface. In this study, we show that gravity plays a crucial role in modifying the behavior of Ostwald ripening. Specifically, gravity causes an upwards migration of CO 2 towards shallower depths, which over long periods of time can lead to the formation of a mobile gas cap at the risk of leakage. The models we develop herein reveal that it is possible to decelerate or even prevent CO 2 migration if we carefully select sequestration sites that have the right kind of geology and rock type.

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Section: A Demonstration Casesupporting

confidence: 94%

Section: Upscaling From Pore Scale To Continuum Scalesupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: 1029/2019gl085175supporting

confidence: 57%

Section: 1029/2019gl085175mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: 1029/2019gl085175mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gravity‐Induced Bubble Ripening in Porous Media and Its Impact on Capillary Trapping Stability

Mehmani

Shang

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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Long-Term Redistribution of Residual Gas Due to Non-convective Transport in the Aqueous Phase

Orr

Benson

2021

Transp Porous Med

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Nonuniform Collective Dissolution of Bubbles in Regular Pore Networks

2022

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Understanding the evolution of solute concentration gradients underpins the prediction of porous media processes limited by mass transfer. Here, we present the development of a mathematical model that describes the dissolution of spherical bubbles in two-dimensional regular pore networks. The model is solved numerically for lattices with up to 169 bubbles by evaluating the role of pore network connectivity, vacant lattice sites and the initial bubble size distribution. In dense lattices, diffusive shielding prolongs the average dissolution time of the lattice, and the strength of the phenomenon depends on the network connectivity. The extension of the final dissolution time relative to the unbounded (bulk) case follows the power-law function, $${B^k/\ell }$$ B k / ℓ , where the constant $$\ell$$ ℓ is the inter-bubble spacing, B is the number of bubbles, and the exponent k depends on the network connectivity. The solute concentration field is both the consequence and a factor affecting bubble dissolution or growth. The geometry of the pore network perturbs the inward propagation of the dissolution front and can generate vacant sites within the bubble lattice. This effect is enhanced by increasing the lattice size and decreasing the network connectivity, yielding strongly nonuniform solute concentration fields. Sparse bubble lattices experience decreased collective effects, but they feature a more complex evolution, because the solute concentration field is nonuniform from the outset.

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Egalitarianism among Bubbles in Porous Media: An Ostwald Ripening Derived Anticoarsening Phenomenon

Cited by 57 publications

References 33 publications

Gravity‐Induced Bubble Ripening in Porous Media and Its Impact on Capillary Trapping Stability

Gravity‐Induced Bubble Ripening in Porous Media and Its Impact on Capillary Trapping Stability

Long-Term Redistribution of Residual Gas Due to Non-convective Transport in the Aqueous Phase

Nonuniform Collective Dissolution of Bubbles in Regular Pore Networks

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