The Effect of Permeability Variations on the Flow in a Heterogeneous Porous Channel Subject to Rotation

Abstract

A significant effect of permeability variations on the three-dimensional fluid flow in a heterogeneous porous channel subject to rotation is presented. The results of a numerical solution to the governing equations confirm for the more general case the conclusions from earlier analytical investigations, which suggest that permeability functions be classified corresponding to whether their variation is monotonic or not, and to whether their vertical gradient is positive or not. Unicellular and multiple vortex solutions are obtained for the secondary flow in the plane perpendicular to the imposed axial flow, while their direction is dictated by the corresponding class of permeability function as applicable. The impact of rotation on the imposed axial flow is shown to be significant as well, leading to different axial flow fields depending again on the class of permeability function used. In particular, the rotation impacts significantly in creating axial flow deficiencies in some regions on the cross section.