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Direct Numerical Simulation of Hydrogen-Water Flow at Pore-Scale During Underground Hydrogen Storage using Computational Fluid Dynamic Methods

Bagheri Tadi, Mohammad Matin | 2023

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 56604 (06)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Mahani, Hassan; Ayatollahi, Shahabedin; Zivar, Davoud
  7. Abstract:
  8. Mass or large-scale storage of hydrogen, as a clean source of energy, should be conducted in underground formations in order to be used as a reliable energy source at the peak of consumption. In this regard, underground formations such as aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs are the most favorable and secured media for hydrogen storage. However, detailed understanding of the flow dynamics of hydrogen-water in these media is critical to maximize hydrogen storage and recovery and tackle the existing uncertainities which exist in the flow functions. To fill this gap, this research aims at a detailed pore-scale investigation of the effect of flow regime, hydrogen compressibility, and hysteresis on flow pattern, trapping mechanisms and the efficiency of the cyclic hydrogen storage and recovery. This is accomplished by using direct computational fluid dynamics simulation at elevated pressure using OpenFOAM. The simulation results are then used to develop an accurate methodology for the calculation of flow functions at representative elementary volume (REV) scale. The results reveal that the favorable rates during hydrogen injection and production differ and a medium flow rate corresponding to drainage capillary number of ~10-7 and imbibition capillary number of ~10-5 can minimize both capillary and viscous fingering mechanisms, leading to more hydrogen storability and recovery factor. It is shown that neglecting the local compression and expansion of hydrogen and low working pressure, typical in modeling and experimental studies in the laboratory, results in misinterpretation of flow regimes and hydrogen storability. It is also demonstrated that during the cyclic process, the trapped hydrogen bubbles create a “self-cushion gas" effect, improving hydrogen storage by 10.2%. Finally, the relative permeability and capillary pressure functions were calculated using history matching approach. The results show the significant effect of hysteresis on the relative permeabilities that causes a substantial drop in water relative permeability during the imbibition process. The results also point out that the endpoint of hydrogen permeability is <0.1 in both drainage and imbibition stages, which are in agreement with reported experimental data. The methods employed in this research are based on basic governing equations of fluid flow at the pore-scale, considering the specific properties of hydrogen, which could pave the way for future research on various aspects of this process such as hydrogen storage in depleted oil and gas reservoirs as well considering salt deposition in saline underground aquifers
  9. Keywords:
  10. Pore Scale Simulation of Fluid Flow ; Pore-Scale Model ; Underground Hydrogen Storage ; Capillary Number ; Hysteresis ; Relative Permeability ; Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) ; OpenFOAM Software

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