Hydrodynamics of particle clogging in water-saturated porous media using CFD-DEM simulations

Abstract

Particle clogging owing to the confinement of the pore structure affects the transport and retention of particles. In this study, fluid–particle flow in a porous medium was modeled using computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method (CFD-DEM) simulations. The motion of particles in the slurry was traced in the porous medium, which enabled particle clogging to be directly precited by the interaction between the particles and pore surfaces by assessing the exact location of each particle. The pressure and flow field of the liquid were investigated, and the variation in flow path owing to particle clogging was predicted. The hydrodynamic study also showed that the Stokes number and particle concentration determined the particle clogging at the pore throats of the porous medium.