Wormhole formation in dissolving fractures

TL;DR

This study uses 3D pore-scale simulations to explore how wormholes form in dissolving fractures, identifying key conditions like flow rate and fracture geometry that promote conduit development.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed numerical framework combining lattice-Boltzmann and stochastic methods to analyze wormhole formation in dissolving fractures.

Findings

Wormholes form under specific flow and dissolution conditions.

Optimal fracture geometries promote conduit development.

Flow rate and mineral dissolution rate critically influence wormhole growth.

Abstract

We investigate the dissolution of artificial fractures with three-dimensional, pore-scale numerical simulations. The fluid velocity in the fracture space was determined from a lattice-Boltzmann method, and a stochastic solver was used for the transport of dissolved species. Numerical simulations were used to study conditions under which long conduits (wormholes) form in an initially rough but spatially homogeneous fracture. The effects of flow rate, mineral dissolution rate and geometrical properties of the fracture were investigated, and the optimal conditions for wormhole formation determined.