Subsurface Flow Module Updates
For users of the Subsurface Flow Module, COMSOL Multiphysics® version 5.6 brings updated features for the existing Transport of Diluted Species and Heat Transfer in Porous Media interfaces, a new Shallow Water Equations, Time Explicit interface, and a new add-in for creating Discrete Fracture Networks (DFN). Learn more about these subsurface flow updates below.
Revamped Porous Media Features for Transport of Diluted Species
The Transport of Diluted Species in Porous Media interface is revamped to use the new Porous Medium node. Two new domain features, the Porous Medium and the Unsaturated Porous Medium nodes, are available in the Transport of Diluted Species in Porous Media interface. You can use the new Porous Medium node for assigning material properties to the multiple phases in a porous medium. The new nodes have dedicated containers to define the properties for the liquid, gas, and porous matrix.
You can find this feature in the following models:
Revamped Porous Media Features for Heat Transfer
The Porous Medium node in the Heat Transfer interface has been revamped. The solid and fluid phases are now handled in dedicated containers, namely the Porous Matrix and Fluid nodes. The computation of the effective material properties is handled in the Porous Medium node, whereas the solid and fluid properties are entered in the Porous Matrix and Fluid subnodes. You can also include an additional immobile fluid phase by adding an Immobile Fluid node.
In the new Porous Medium node, the settings are homogenized with those of the porous media features in the fluid flow and chemical species transport interfaces. In particular, the Porosity is now specified instead of the volume fraction of the solid phase. Additionally, you can set either the Dry bulk properties or the Solid phase properties, depending on the availability of these material properties.
With the new design, you can take advantage of the new Porous Material functionality under the Materials node, in which the porosity, volume fractions, and material properties are set in dedicated containers to each phase: the Solid, Fluid, and Immobile Fluid nodes. You can see this new functionality in the following models:
New Add-In for Creating Discrete Fracture Networks (DFN)
Fracture networks are an important mechanism that enhances mass, momentum, and energy transport in groundwater flow, geothermal and petroleum reservoirs, nuclear waste storage sites, and more. A new add-in is available for creating Discrete Fracture Networks in realistic geometries, such as reservoirs and rock formations. The add-in works for both 2D and 3D geometries. You can view the new add-in feature in the Flow in a Fractured Reservoir model.
Shallow Water Equations
The shallow water approximation is frequently applied in oceanographic and atmospheric applications to predict effects of tsunami impacts, areas affected by pollution, coastal erosion, and polar ice cap melting, to mention a few. The new Shallow Water Equations, Time Explicit interface uses a depth-averaged formulation to solve free-surface flows in 1D and 2D domains. The bottom topography in a model can conveniently be defined from a digital elevation model (DEM). You can see this feature in the new Tsunami Runup onto a Complex 3D Beach, Monai Valley and Dam Breaking on a Column, Shallow Water Equations tutorial models.
New Tutorial Models
COMSOL Multiphysics® version 5.6 brings several new tutorial models to the Subsurface Flow Module.
Flow in a Fractured Reservoir
Application Library Title:
fractured_reservoir_flow
Analyzing Porous Structures on the Microscopic Scale
Application Library Title:
pore_scale_flow_3D
Tsunami Runup onto a Complex 3D Beach, Monai Valley
Application Library Title:
monai_runup
Dam Breaking on a Column, Shallow Water Equations
Application Library Title:
dam_break_column_sw