F LUI D F LOW T H R OUGH P OR OUS M E D I A

3 PHASE FLOW AIR NEGLIGIBLE SOIL RELATIVELY STATIC FLUID MAIN FLOW
Section 1 Section 2

Consider a small element

av1a

av2<as

n= as/a

Section 1 n1=as1/a 1

Section 2 n2=as2/v<a

Va= dl/dt ,

q= a n va, = av, v = q/a =va.n

HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVTY Recommended Ranges SOIL TYPE Gravel Coarse sand Medium sand Fine sand Silt Clay K RANGE (m/d) >1000 100-1000 1-100 0.01-1 0.001-o.01 <0.001

Anisotropic Soil

U=-kx dh/dx

v=-kydh/dy

Nonhomogeneous Soil

y P

k(xp,yp)not necessarly equal to kQ(xQ,kQ)

Nonhomogeneous Soil

y P

k(xp,yp)not necessarly equal to kQ(xQ,kQ)

4.1 Equation of Continuity

In chapter 3, relations between the velocity and the total head of flow are presented. Generally, in these relations, the pressure head appears in terms of its hydraulic gradient, which may change with time and position. For both laminar and turbulent flow conditions, the relations are the obtained from the results of experimental works. In a porous media space, it is normally required to determine either the velocity distribution or the total head distribution. If one of these distributions is known, these experimental relations can be used to determine the other distribution.

However, in most cases of practical interest, both the pressure and velocity and pressure values are not known in the whole region of interest. This means that another relation or set of relations are required which can be combined with the presented equations in order to obtain both the velocity and head distributions in the whole medium. The equations of continuity, which are forms of the law of conservation of matter, are veloped to accomplish this goal. In Fig. 4.1, a general form of fluid flow porous media space is /illustrated. For the purpose of simplicity, the Cartesian coordinate system is adopted. At point P(x,y,z) a rectangular parallelepiped element with

the side dimensions x, y and z parallel to the three coordinate axes x,y and z respectively is considered. Assuming that the average flow velocity on the side (xp, y, z) of the parallelepiped is u, then that on the side (xp+ x, y, z) equals u+(u/x).x. Similarly, if the average velocity on the side (x, yp, z) is v, then that on the side (x,y+y,z) is v+(v/y).y. Also the velocities on the sides (x,y,zp) and (x,y,z+z) are respectively w and w+(w/z).z. Consider the water balance of the element at time t for a period length t. If the fluid density in the element at time t is , then at t= t+t, the fluid density will be +(/t).t. The application of the law of conservation of mass on the element implies that:

Fluid Inflow - fluid outflow = change of fluid mass in the element (4.1)

In Equation (4.2), the previous equation is written in terms of the fluid density and velocities.

 {u.(y. z)+ v.(x.z)+w(x+y)}.t {(u+u/x.x)(y.z) +(v+v/y.y)(x.z) +(w+w/z.z)(x.y)}.t= {n.(/t.t).(x.y.z)} (4.2)

where n is the porosity of the soil inside the element. Conducting the necessary simplifications , the following form of the continuity equation results

In the development of equation (4.3), the fluid compressibility is taken into consideration. In the case of steady state flow and also in the cases of unsteady flow in which the fluid is considered to be incompressible, the term /t vanishes, thus:

u/x+v/y+w/z+(n/)./t=0

(4.3)

u/x+v/y+wz=0

(4.4)

Using a similar procedure, the equation of continuity can be developed in other coordinate systems. A frequently used coordinate system is the cylindrical coordinates. It is often more convenient to deal with than the Cylindrical coordinates in problems related to vertical wells and open circular pits.

4.2 General Form of Darcys Law

The Experiments that were conducted by Darcy and which are the bases of Darcys Law are restricted to one dimensional fluid flow through soil samples in tubes with circular cross sectional area. However, the deduced formula was extended to include any laminar flow through any multidimensional porous media. Thus, for a three dimensional flow in a homogenous soil with hydraulic conductivity k, and a total head h, the components of fluid flow parallel to the Cartesian x,y and z axes are:

u = -k.h/x

(4.7-a)

, v = -k.h/y & w = -k.hz

(4-7b) (4.7-c)

The previous equations are assumed to be valid whether the hydraulic conductivity k is constant or is a function of position, i.e. k(x,y,z) may have a different value as one or more of the independent variables x,y,z changes.In Cylindrical Coordinates the velocity components are:

4.4 General Form of Differential Equation:

In isotopic soil with variable hydraulic conductivity, the value of k in equations (4.7) may vary with position. Thus, the substitution for the velocity components from these equations into the general equation of continuity (4.3) leads to the following partial differential equation:
(k.h/x)/x+(k.h/y)/y+(k.h/z)/z=(n/) / t (4.18)

In the case of two dimensional flow in the xyplane, equation (4.18) reduces to the following form:
(k.h/x)/x+(k.h/y)/y =(n/)/t (4.19)

A special case of the previous equation is the case k= constant, i.e.

2h/x2+2h/y2 =n/(k)/t

This equation represent many cases of practical interest. Among these, is the case of flow through artesian horizontal aquifers. The equation (2.20) contain two dependent variables, namely h and r. To reduce them to one variable only. Two new parameters are introduced. The aquifer storativity S is defined as the volume of water to be released from a column of water with unit cross sectional area of the aquifer due to a unit change of water pressure head. A graphical illustration of this definition is shown in Fig. 4.5.

(4.20)

4.6 Boundary and Initial Conditions:

The partial differential equations which are presented in sections 4.3 to 4.5 can be used in the description of the fluid flow through the soil under different conditions. However, the solution of these conditions involves a number constants. This number depends on the type of flow and the properties of both the soil and the fluid. In order to determine these constants, further information about the flow are required in certain locations of the flow domain and at certain time values. Usually, this information concerns the condition on the domain boundary and at the initial time of the problem consideration.

In Fig. 4.6, several widely used boundary condition types are presented. For example a surface that is in direct contact with a water body with a known total head that may be constant or varies according to a known function has the following condition : where: (xb, yb, zb) is any point on the considered boundary H is a constant or a function defined on the considered boundary. The velocity component perpendicular to an impermeable boundary vanishes. Hence, if n is the direction perpendicular to the boundary at any point, then

h (xb, yb, zb; t) = H

(4.37)

h/n =0

(4.38)

On a free surface, the pressure is atmospheric which means that the total head h at any point (xf, yf, zf) on that boundary equals the vertical distance d between the datum and that point.

h(xf, yf, zf; t) = d

(4.39)