Numerical evaluation of relative permeability using Johnson--Koplik--Dashen model

Abstract: We present a numerical study aimed at comparing two approaches to the evaluation of relative permeability curves from 3D binary images of porous media. One approach hinges on the numerical solution of Stokes equations, while the other is based on the Johnson-Koplik-Dashen (JKD) universal scaling theory of viscous frequency-dependent flow [D.~L. Johnson, J.~Koplik, and R.~Dashen, \emph{Theory of dynamic permeability and tortuosity in fluid--saturated porous media}, Journal of Fluid Mechanics \textbf{176} (1987), 379--402.] and the method of maximal inscribed spheres. JKD steady-flow simulations only require the solution of a boundary-value problem for the Laplace equation, which is computationally less intensive than the solution of Stokes equations. A series of numerical calculations performed on 3D pore-space images of natural rock demonstrate that JKD-based estimates are in good agreement with the corresponding Stokes-flow numerical simulations.