Slow flow across macroscopically rectangular fiber lattices and an open region: Visualization by magnetic resonance imaging

Creeping flow of a Newtonian fluid across aligned and staggered rows of cylinders (fiber lattices) bounded by an open region is studied experimentally by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) velocimetry. The model systems are formed by circular cylindrical rods, macroscopically arranged in rectangular fashion and confined inside a Hele-Shaw cell. The thus formed fiber arrays are bounded by the open region from one side and the wall of the cell on the other side, thus forming a heterogeneous fibrous medium of dual porosity. The influence of the fiber lattice volume fraction and lattice unit-cell geometry on the local aspects of the flow in the interior of and exterior to the fiber arrays are investigated. The steady-state velocity maps of the longitudinal and, in particular, transverse velocity components are shown to be advantageous in studying the local aspects of the flow field in such a heterogeneous porous medium. The most important feature of local velocity distributions in the regions ahead of and behind the lattice-channel arrangements is evidenced as substantial transverse velocities. This local flow aspect is termed edge effect and found to be dependent on lattice porosity. Local flow disturbances are present on either side of the open channel-fiber lattice interfaces, at the length-scale corresponding to the size of unit cells of the fiber lattices. Regions with regular patterns of very low fluid velocities are identified throughout the fiber lattices. The local values for the velocity vector at the entrance/exit of the fiber lattices are considerably higher than the average values within the fiber arrangements. These local flow enhancements, which are caused by the proximity of velocity gradients in the adjoining free flow region, are termed entrance/exit effects. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.