Page 130 - Fundamentals of Computational Geoscience Numerical Methods and Algorithms

118 5 Simulating Chemical Dissolution Front Instabilities in Fluid-Saturated Porous Rocks

τ
(Numerical, = . 0 03) (Numerical, τ = . 0 04)

τ
(Numerical, = . 0 05) (Numerical, τ = . 0 06)

(Numerical, = . 0 07) (Numerical, = . 0 08)
τ
τ
Fig. 5.7 Dimensionless pressure distributions due to morphological evolution of the chemical
dissolution front in the fluid-saturated porous medium

streamline distributions during the morphological evolution of the chemical dissolu-
tion front within the coupled system between porosity, pore-fluid pressure and reac-
tive chemical-species transport. Due to the growth of the amplitude of the irregular
dissolution front, pore-fluid flow focusing takes place in the peak range of the poros-
ity, which can be observed from the streamline density (in Fig. 5.8). It is noted that
the width of the flow focusing zone is closely associated with the peak and trough
values of the irregular dissolution front in the computational model. Since both the
porosity generation and the pore-fluid flow focusing play an important role in ore
body formation and mineralization, the proposed numerical procedure can provide
a useful tool for simulating the related physical and chemical processes associated
with the generation of giant ore deposits within the upper crust of the Earth.