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Description
Microfluidic experiments in transparent, engineered micromodels that replicate porous media enable direct visualization of pore-scale processes and their connection to macroscopic behavior (Wu et al., 2020). Pore-scale simulations, in particular dynamic pore-network modeling, complement these experiments by including pore-scale interactions that are typically averaged out in continuum-scale descriptions and are therefore difficult to capture with macroscale models (Weishaupt & Helmig, 2021).
However, the coupled evolution of liquid films, interfacial curvature, and evaporation kinetics in porous structures remains a challenge for predictive modeling. This work addresses this gap by combining high-resolution microfluidic experiments with dynamic pore-network simulations in a geometrically controlled two-dimensional porous network. The experiments provide time-resolved measurements of water morphology, saturation, and curvature evolution, while the simulations elucidate the pore-scale mechanisms that control the evaporation process.
Within this integrated framework, a comprehensive quantitative comparison between experimental observations and model predictions is conducted to both validate key modeling assumptions and identify systematic discrepancies. These discrepancies, in turn, highlight pore-scale mechanisms such as corner flow and vapor shielding effect and thereby guide future model refinements as well as the design of targeted microfluidic experiments. Our analysis further shows that inherent uncertainties in microfluidic experiments can significantly influence the outcome and interpretation of model validation, underscoring the challenges of benchmarking pore-scale models against experimental data. An initial mismatch between simulated and experimental results, therefore, does not, by itself, invalidate a model or imply a flawed experiment. Instead, a systematic diagnosis of the underlying processes and error sources is essential for assessing model validity and improving both pore-scale models and experimental design.
References:
Weishaupt, K. & Helmig, R. (2021). A Dynamic and Fully Implicit Non‐Isothermal, Two‐Phase, Two‐Component Pore‐Network Model Coupled to Single‐Phase Free Flow for the Pore‐Scale Description of Evaporation Processes. Water Resources Research, 57(4). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020wr028772
Wu, R., Zhang, T., Ye, C., Zhao, C. Y., Tsotsas, E. & Kharaghani, A. (2020). Pore network model of evaporation in porous media with continuous and discontinuous corner films. Physical Review Fluids, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevfluids.5.014307
| Country | Germany |
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