Prediction of capillary suction in porous media based on micro-CT technology and B–C model

Abstract

Moisture variation in porous media depends mainly on the pore characteristics. This article used the micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) (a non-destructive imaging technique to generate a three-dimensional virtual model) and the Brooks–Corey model to deduce the moisture migration in sand. Relationship between capillary rise height and time (h–t) was achieved by numerical simulation in the capillary suction process, where the parameters fractal dimension, porosity, and air–water interfacial area were obtained by the micro-CT scanning. Meanwhile, experiments of capillary rise in sand column were performed using four different sizes washed sand, and the capillary heights at different times were recorded. Results show that the capillary suction is decided by the aperture size and phase morphology simultaneously, and particle size has obvious effect on capillarity, and the wetting front lowers with the increase in grain size and the decrease in rising rate. Parameters air entry pressure and pore-size distribution index obtained by micro-CT scanning technology and empirical formula are accurate. Method of combing micro-CT images and Brooks–Corey model can predict well the capillary suction of porous media. It is also proved that the capillary suction is decided by the aperture size and phase morphology simultaneously.