ABSTRACT
A framework formodeling of two-and three-dimensional (variably-) saturated flow andmulticomponent reactive transport in complex porous structures is developed employing a pore network approach. This modeling tool, called PoreFlow, is capable of representing the pore spaces by pores of different sizes as well as different connectivities between pores, i.e. coordination number distribution. After generating the pore space, various processes are simulated, including: pressure distribution and flow, advection and diffusion solute transport, adsorption and reactive transport. Chemical reactions may alter pore sizes which results in evolution of porosity and permeability. With realistic descriptions of the pore space, based on statistical or explicit reconstruction of a topologically disordered three-dimensional pore space, or through tuning network model parameters to match available data, predictions of macro-scale properties can be made. Such properties include: average saturation, relative permeability, solute dispersivity, adsorption coefficients, effective diffusion and tortuosity. Pore-scale modelings, hence, are instrumental to improve core analysis and characterization of flow and reactive transport properties as well as to generate constitutive relations to be employed within the continuum scale models.
