InterPore2026

Transverse mixing enhancement by dispersed two-phase flow in porous media

21 May 2026, 14:20

15m

Oral Presentation (MS08) Mixing, dispersion and reaction processes across scales in heterogeneous and fractured media MS08

Speaker

Yang Liu

Description

Efficient solute mixing in porous media is essential for a wide range of natural processes and industrial applications, including nutrient transport in biological systems, groundwater bioremediation, carbon dioxide–enhanced oil recovery, and packed-bed reactors. The degree of solute mixing directly governs the rates of associated biological and chemical reactions. Although turbulence is widely employed to promote mixing due to its transient and chaotic nature, its effectiveness in porous media is severely limited by the presence of extensive solid boundaries that suppress turbulent fluctuations. In contrast, dispersed two-phase flows—characterized by inherently transient flow features—offer a promising alternative for enhancing mixing efficiency.
Despite extensive studies on dispersion and mixing under two-phase flow conditions, most existing investigations assume static phase interfaces [1]. However, dispersed two-phase flows are intrinsically associated with dynamic and evolving phase interfaces. While recent studies [2, 3] have begun to explore this issue, the pore-scale mechanisms governing solute transport and mixing under dispersed two-phase flow in porous media remain insufficiently understood.
We investigate transverse solute mixing in porous media under dispersed two-phase flow and steady single-phase flow conditions using microfluidic experiments. Our results demonstrate that dispersed two-phase flow significantly enhances transverse mixing compared with single-phase flow at a Péclet number of 1000. Mixing efficiency is quantified using the dilution index, which is approximately twice as large for dispersed two-phase flow as for single-phase flow at identical injection rates. Direct numerical simulations further reveal that this enhancement arises from transient flow features, such as vortex formation, induced by dynamic phase interfaces—features that are absent in single-phase flow. These findings provide new mechanistic insights into solute mixing in porous media and suggest viable strategies for enhancing mixing through flow-regime modulation.