Open AccessCharacterization of flow in fractured tuff using computerized tomography
Author(s) -
Conrad W. Felice,
J.C. Sharer
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
osti oai (u.s. department of energy office of scientific and technical information)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/138780
Subject(s) - imbibition , fracture (geology) , tomography , geology , matrix (chemical analysis) , fluid dynamics , flow (mathematics) , sample (material) , volumetric flow rate , saturation (graph theory) , porosity , mineralogy , computed tomography , geotechnical engineering , materials science , composite material , mechanics , chemistry , geometry , mathematics , chromatography , radiology , botany , germination , physics , combinatorics , biology , medicine
The objective of this effort was to demonstrate TerraTek`s capability to use X-ray computerized tomography (CT) to observe fluid flow down a fracture and rock matrix imbibition in a sample of Bandelier tuff. To accomplish the objective, a tuff sample 152.4 mm long and 50.8 mm in diameter was prepared. A portion of the sample was artificially fractured and coupled to a section of matrix material so that the fracture was not exposed. Water was flowed through the sample at five flow rates and CT scanning performed at set intervals during the flow. Cross sectional images and longitudinal reconstructions were built and saturation profiles calculated for the sample at each time interval at each flow rate. The results showed that for the test conditions, the fracture was not a primary pathway of fluid flow down the sample. Fluid flow was governed by the high imbibition capability of the rock matrix material
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