Analysis of Complexity of the Connected Pore Structure 3D Porous Medium using Tortuosity and Permeability
Nur Rahmi (a*), Fourier Dzar Eljabbar Latief (b), Selly Feranie (a)

a) Digital Rock Physics and Soil Mechanical Laboratory, Department of Physics Education, Indonesia University of Education, Jalan Dr. Setiabudhi 229 Bandung 40154, Indonesia
b) Rock Physics and Complex System Laboratory, Bandung Institute of Technology
Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia

Abstract

The complexity of the connected pore structure of porous medium samples has been analyzed using tortuosity and permeability parameter. In measuring the tortuosity and absolute permeability in this porous medium samples, porosity is made equal to four models, which is 15%. Porous medium samples are arranged by placing grains of varying radius (10, 15, 20, 25 pixels) that are randomly distributed and overlapping in a 200 x 200 x 200 medium. The fluid flows of the rock models were analyzed on the y-direction. Connected pore tracing for porous medium was done using the Simple Neurite Tracer which produces the coordinate of the connected pore path which is then used to calculate the value of tortuosity. Tortuosity is calculated by using the definition of the ratio between the sum of the curvaceous angles of the connected pore path to the distance between two facing sides of the sample. Absolute permeability is calculated by using Lattice Boltzmann Method. For four sample models, it was found that tortuosity value is inversely proportional to the permeability value.

Keywords: Tortuosity; Permeability; Simple Neurite Tracer; Porous Medium

Topic: Physics