2D Parametric study of viscous fingering

When a low viscosity fluid is forced to displace another immiscible fluid with a higher viscosity inside of a porous media a particular flow structure called viscous fingering is generated. The study of that particular flow structure has special relevance in understanding the diffusion process and the transport characteristics of a fluid inside of a porous media. This work examined the effect of two fundamental parameters like the injected volumetric flow rate and the domain aspect ratio over the viscous fingering pattern. In order to perform that parametric study, a set of numerical simulations using the 2D network simulator model are used. A large viscosity ratio between the injected and displaced fluid is used to focus the work only on the unstable behavior state. Copyright © 2007 by ASME