Pore Structure Reconstruction and Moisture Migration in Porous Media

Abstract

Three kinds of porous media (isotropic, perpendicular anisotropic and parallel anisotropic porous media) with the same porosity, different pore size distributions and fractal spectral dimensions were reconstructed by random growth method. It was aimed to theoretically study the impact of microscopic pore structure on water vapor diffusion process in porous media. The results show that pore size distribution can only denote the static characteristics of porous media but cannot effectively reflect the dynamic transport characteristics of porous media. Fractal spectral dimension can effectively analyze and reflect pores connectivity and moisture dynamic transport properties of porous media from the microscopic perspective. The pores connectivity and water vapor diffusion performance in pores of porous media get better with the increase of fractal spectral dimension of porous media. Fractal spectral dimension of parallel anisotropic porous media is more than that of perpendicular anisotropic porous media. Fractal spectral dimension of isotropic porous media is between parallel anisotropic porous media and perpendicular anisotropic porous media. Other macroscopic parameters such as equilibrium diffusion coefficient of water vapor, water vapor concentration variation at right boundary ‡ Corresponding author. 1440007-1 Fractals 2014.22. Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com by YALE UNIVERSITY on 12/29/14. For personal use only. J. Zheng et al.in equilibrium, the time when water vapor diffusion process reaches a stable state also can characterize the pores connectivity and water vapor diffusion properties of porous media.

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