A New Straightforward Darcy-Scale Compositional Solver in OpenFOAM for CO 2 /Water Mutual Solubility in CO 2 Storage Processes in Aquifers

Ali Papi (), Amir Jahanbakhsh and Mercedes M. Maroto-Valer
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Ali Papi: Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS), School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
Amir Jahanbakhsh: Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS), School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
Mercedes M. Maroto-Valer: Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS), School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-9

Abstract: Advancing the modeling of evaporation and salt precipitation is essential in CO 2 storage processes in aquifers. OpenFOAM provides a platform for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling with its open-source C++ object-oriented architecture that can especially be used in the development of fluid flow models in porous media. Some OpenFOAM packages have been developed in this area, and their codes are available for use. Despite this, the existing OpenFOAM literature does not include a model that incorporates multicomponent interactions in multi-phase flow systems, referred to as compositional modeling, at the Darcy scale. This existing gap is addressed in this paper, where a new simple model in OpenFOAM is introduced that aims to model the interaction of CO 2 and H 2 O components in CO 2 storage processes in aquifers at the Darcy scale. The model, named compositionalIGFoam, incorporates a compositional solver by extending the impesFoam solver of the porousMultiphaseFoam package, while assuming some simplifications, to account for CO 2 /water mutual dissolution, relevant to carbon capture and storage (CCS) processes in aquifers. The functionality of the compositionalIGFoam solver was assessed by showcasing its ability to reproduce the outcomes of existing examples. In addition to that, the process of gas injection into a water-saturated core sample was simulated using the developed model to mimic CO 2 injection into aquifers. The CMG-GEM commercial compositional simulator was used to compare its results with the coreflood model of this study. Phenomenal agreement was achieved with the GEM model, showing only 1.8% and 0.4% error for both components. This confirms the accuracy and reliability of the developed model. In conclusion, this study enhances the state of the art in porous media modeling using OpenFOAM 10, providing a valuable tool for examining fluid interactions in subsurface environments, especially within the context of CCS processes.

Keywords: OpenFOAM; CO 2 storage; CO 2 dissolution; water evaporation; compositional solver (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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