Geometry of Fluid Interfaces
AG Prof. Dr. Ralf Seemann

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Pore-scale flow of viscoelastic fluids

The effect of viscoelasticity on fluid dynamics in single and two-phase flow in porous media is studied in this project. Understanding the flow behavior of viscoelastic fluids in porous media is of significance for various technical and industrial applications e.g. polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery.

Our experiments are divided mainly into two categories, rheological bulk measurements to characterize the viscoelastic properties of the polymer solution and microfluidic experiments to investigate the influence of viscoelastic properties on flow in micro-scale pore spaces. The specific properties of porous media are mimicked by the microfluidic devices and enable to investigate how the geometry affects the flow dynamics of viscoelastic fluids.

Our experimental results indicate that specific viscoelastic properties of the polymer solution, such as high elasticity, the occurrence of elastic instabilities, shear-thinning and normal stress difference, have a major influence on the fluid dynamics in micro-scale environments.

Fig.1:Two-phase flow of an aqueous solution of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) polymer displacing Dodecane in a quasi-two-dimensional Hele-Shaw cell decorated with pillar arrays with circular cross-sections. Flow path lines visualization was performed by adding fluorescent particles to the polymer solution (invading phase). Time-dependent fluctuations at interfaces, asymmetric flow path lines, and crossing path lines indicate elastic instabilities at low Reynolds numbers.

Group members on this project: Pegah Shakeri, Dr. Michael Jung, Prof. Dr. Ralf Seemann

External collaborations: Dr. Martin Brinkmann (Northumbria), Prof. Dr. Stephan Herminghaus (MPI-DS)