Ali, A. 2015. Filtration of Fine Particles in Porous Medium: Size Selection. Master’s Thesis. University of Harve, France.

Abstract:

The study on the processes of detachment, transport and deposition of suspended solids in natural or artificial porous media and the consequences on the progressive damage of these media represent an important research subject that offers a diversified field of application. Such applications are mainly focuses in the field of Civil, Environment and Petroleum Engineering.

The deposition process leads to clogging of a porous medium is influenced by several parameters. The hydraulic conditions, the influents of salinity, the granular distribution of the porous medium, the geometry as well as the state of surface of the grains of the medium are obviously major parameters which control the deposit.

The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the influence of the size of the particles in suspension on the basis of selection of size as well as on the mechanisms of transportation and deposition. For this purpose, continuous injection tracing tests with poly-dispersed particles and four different flow rates are carried out. The influence of the flow velocity has also been analyzed during the laboratory investigation.

This thesis represents the results obtained during the study. The first and second chapter illustrates the area that are related to suspended matter transfer problems, the general notions of mobilization mechanisms, transport and deposition of suspended matter in general, as well as the aspects of the modeling of deposit.

The third chapter is related to the experimental approach developed in the investigation. Materials used, description of laboratory column injection testing procedures, effluent control and various measurements & analyzes of samples are discussed.

The fourth chapter has depicted the theoretical aspects of the modeling of the transport of suspended particles in the porous medium, the analysis of the restitution and deposition results along with the size distribution of the reconstituted particles and particles deposited in the porous medium.

Contributors: Ali, A.