Inertia-induced mixing and reaction maximization in laminar porous media flows.

ABSTRACT: Solute transport and biogeochemical reactions in porous and fractured media flows are controlled by mixing, as are subsurface engineering operations such as contaminant remediation, geothermal energy production, and carbon sequestration. Porous media flows are generally regarded as slow, so the effects of fluid inertia on mixing and reaction are typically ignored. Here, we demonstrate through microfluidic experiments and numerical simulations of mixing-induced reaction that inertial recirculating flows readily emerge in laminar porous media flows and dramatically alter mixing and reaction dynamics. An optimal Reynolds number that maximizes the reaction rate is observed for individual pore throats of different sizes. This reaction maximization is attributed to the effects of recirculation f

SUBMITTER: Chen MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11648634 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature