Interpreting pore-scale fluctuations: Predicting transport coefficients in multiphase flow through porous media using the Green–Kubo formulation—An experimental investigation

Abstract

Flow fluctuations that are commonly associated with multiphase flow in porous media are studied using concepts from non-equilibrium thermodynamic and statistical mechanics. We investigate how the Green–Kubo formulation of the fluctuation dissipation theorem can be used to predict the transport coefficient from the two-phase extension of Darcy's law. Flow rate-time series data are recorded at the millisecond timescale using a novel experimental setup that allows for the determination of flow fluctuation statistics. By using Green–Kubo relations, a transport coefficient is predicted based on the integrated autocorrelation function. Notably, this coefficient aligned closely with the total effective phase mobility computed using Darcy's equation for multiphase flow, particularly in scenarios where a linear relationship between flow rate and pressure gradient was observed. Our results open a new field of coefficient explorations where microscale fluctuations during multiphase flow are directly linked to macroscale parameters.