• Development and Application of Micromodel for Visualization of Supercritical CO2 Migration in Pore-scale
  • Park, Bogyeong;Lee, Minhee;Wang, Sookyun;
  • Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Pukyong National University;Department of Earth Environmental Sciences, Pukyong National University;Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Pukyong National University;
  • 공극 규모에서의 초임계상 이산화탄소 거동 가시화를 위한 마이크로모델의 개발과 적용
  • 박보경;이민희;왕수균;
  • 부경대학교 에너지자원공학과;부경대학교 지구환경과학과;부경대학교 에너지자원공학과;
Abstract
Despite significant effects on macroscopic migration and distribution of CO2 injected during geological sequestration, only limited information is available on wettability in microscopic scCO2-brine-mineral systems due to difficulties in pore-scale observation. In this study, a micromodel had been developed to improve our understanding of how scCO2 flooding and residual characteristics of porewater are affected by the wettability in scCO2-water-glass bead systems. The micromodel (a transparent pore structure made of glass beads and glass plates) in a pressurized chamber provided the opportunity to visualize scCO2 spreading and porewater displacement. CO2 flooding followed by fingering migration and dewatering followed by formation of residual water were observed through an imaging system. Measurement of contact angles of residual porewater in micromodels were conducted to estimate wettability in a scCO2-water-glass bead system. The measurement revealed that the brine-3M NaCl solution-is a wetting fluid and the surface of glass beads is water-wet. It is also found that the contact angle at equilibrium decreases as the pressure decreases, whereas it increases as the salinity increases. Such changes in wettability may significantly affect the patterns of scCO2 migration and porewater residence during the process of CO2 injection into a saline aquifer at high pressures.

Keywords: Micromodel;Supercritical $CO_2$;Visualization;Residual phase;Contact angle;

This Article

  • 2015; 20(4): 73-82

    Published on Aug 31, 2015

  • 10.7857/JSGE.2015.20.4.073
  • Received on Jun 17, 2015
  • Revised on Jul 1, 2015
  • Accepted on Jul 2, 2015

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