Lattice Boltzmann simulations applied to understanding the stability of multiphase interfaces

Abstract

Multiphase flow occurs in a multitude of industrial and technological situations ranging from oil and minerals recovery to microfluidics and nanofluidics. In all these cases we are interested in modelling the flow of two immiscible phases through a complex geometrical domain. In the past few years, the Lattice Boltzmann method has been developed to model fluid flow both for single phase flow and two (or more) phases. In this study we consider the flow of a less viscous phase into a more viscous fluid (say water into oil) and focus on the stability of the interface. In particular it is known the interface becomes unstable leading to fingers of the less viscous phase jetting through the more viscous phase which has deleterious effects on oil recovery. We use the LB method to model this flow for a variety of fluid geometries.