Fluid flow induced internal erosion within porous media : modelling of the no erosion filter test experiment

An investigation of the potential to numerically model the no erosion filter test is performed here, where the flow through a large ensemble of particles is considered by applying minimisation of dissipation rate of energy on the ensemble that is discretised with modified Voronoi diagrams and Delaunay triangulation. Low-Reynolds number simulations are applied to each part of the Voronoi diagram using computational fluid dynamics. The mechanical friction between particles is modelled by increasing the effective viscosity for closely spaced particles. Microscopic mechanisms for successful and unsuccessful sealing of filters are obtained. The numerical results agree with previously presented experimental observations by Sherard and Dunnigan. A conformity is that the sealing starts from the end of the channel and continues outwards in the radial direction. The sealing implies that the permeability can be reduced several orders of magnitude during a test.