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On instability during immiscible displacement in fractures and porous media
Author(s) -
Neuman Shlomo P.,
Chen Guoliang
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/96wr00789
Subject(s) - instability , displacement (psychology) , porous medium , perpendicular , mechanics , flow (mathematics) , fracture (geology) , materials science , porosity , geology , mathematics , mathematical analysis , geotechnical engineering , physics , geometry , psychology , psychotherapist
Existing linear theories for the onset of instability during immiscible fluid displacement in fractures and porous media are generalized to account for arbitrary fracture, mean flow, and fluid interface orientations. The generalized analysis shows that contrary to common belief, the interface is not perpendicular (and hence incipient fingers do not extend in parallel) to the mean direction of displacement except in special cases.