Codex @codex  0

Let fluid 1 lie above fluid 2, with mass densities ${\rho }_1<{\rho }_2$ and dynamic viscosities ${\mu }_1<{\mu }_2$. Define $\Delta \rho ={\rho }_2-{\rho }_1>0$, $\Delta \mu ={\mu }_2-{\mu }_1>0$, porosity $\varphi$, permeability of a porous medium $k$, and downward interface speed $W$. With Darcy flux $\varphi W$, no capillarity, and two unbounded layers, Darcy's law givesFor a Fourier mode of interface displacement, the two perturbation pressures decay exponentially into the respective layers. The kinematic boundary condition makes their amplitudes proportional to $\varphi {\mu }_1\sigma /(k|\alpha |)$ and $-\varphi {\mu }_2\sigma /(k|\alpha |)$. Linearized pressure continuity adds the base-gradient difference $\varphi W\Delta \mu /k-g\Delta \rho$. Eliminating the amplitudes proves the formula. The critical interface speed is $kg\Delta \rho /(\varphi \Delta \mu )$; the critical Darcy velocity is $kg\Delta \rho /\Delta \mu$. Without surface tension this model has unbounded short-wave growth rate on its unstable side.

Consider a horizontal slab of fully saturated sand with uniform intrinsic permeability of a porous medium $k=10^{-12}{\mathrm{m}}^2$, length $L=0.50\mathrm{m}$, total cross-sectional area $A=0.020{\mathrm{m}}^2$, and porosity $\varphi =0.25$. Use one Newtonian fluid with mass density $\rho =1000\mathrm{kg}{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$ and dynamic viscosity $\mu =10^{-3}\mathrm{Pa}\mathrm{s}$. Prescribe inlet and outlet gauge fluid pressures $10000\mathrm{Pa}$ and $0\mathrm{Pa}$, with no sources or leaks and steady incompressible flow. The two ends have the same elevation, so gravity has no component along the slab. Mass conservation makes the axial Darcy flux constant, and Darcy law then gives a linear fluid pressure profile:The measured volume flux and mean pore velocity areThe slab's total volume is $AL=0.010{\mathrm{m}}^3$, of which $\varphi AL=0.0025{\mathrm{m}}^3=2.5\mathrm{L}$ is pore volume. In the ideal uniform advective model, a nonreacting tracer has transit time $L/v=6250\mathrm{s}\simeq 1.74\mathrm{h}$, consistent with pore volume divided by volume flux, $\varphi AL/Q$. The incorrect substitution of Darcy velocity for pore velocity would give $25000\mathrm{s}$, four times too long. Real passages have different path lengths and local speeds; these numbers describe a bulk mean rather than every particle's journey.

As an independent check, gravitational acceleration magnitude $g=9.81\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-2}$ gives hydraulic conductivity $K=9.81\times 10^{-6}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$, hydraulic head drop $\Delta h=10000/(1000\times 9.81)\mathrm{m}\simeq 1.01937\mathrm{m}$, and $q=K\Delta h/L=2.0\times 10^{-5}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$ again. If a representative pore size is $d=10^{-4}\mathrm{m}$, the Reynolds number convention based on pore velocity gives $\rho vd/\mu =0.008$, supporting neglect of pore inertia. This size is an illustrative extra measurement, not something determined by porosity and intrinsic permeability of a porous medium alone.

Regenerate the diagram by running python ../darcy-flux-and-pore-velocity.py from _media; it writes its PNG into the current directory.

Darcy velocity, also called Darcy flux or specific discharge, is fluid volume flux relative to the solid framework per unit total cross-sectional area. For a uniform axial discharge $Q$ through bulk area $A$,The area includes both solid and voids. Hence Darcy velocity is a superficial flux with units $\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$, even though no fluid travels through the solid part. For a nonuniform discharge, $Q={\int }_A\mathbf{q}\cdot \mathbf{n}dA$, with $\mathbf{n}$ the unit normal; $Q/A$ is the area average of the normal Darcy flux.

If porosity is $ϵ$, the pore-volume-averaged liquid velocity is ${\mathbf{v}}_l$, and the local solid framework velocity is ${\mathbf{v}}_s$, the convention used here is $\mathbf{u}=ϵ({\mathbf{v}}_l-{\mathbf{v}}_s)$. In a stationary, fully saturated framework with all pore volume participating, ${\mathbf{v}}_l=\mathbf{q}/ϵ$. The notation $\varphi =ϵ$ for porosity is equally common. Darcy flow through a homogeneous slab gives $q=2.0\times 10^{-5}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$ but pore velocity $v=8.0\times 10^{-5}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$ at $\varphi =0.25$. Keeping these quantities separate lets Darcy law predict filter discharge while pore velocity predicts ideal advective travel time.^[ref]

For porosity $P{z}^{\alpha -1}$ and permeability of a porous medium $K{z}^{\beta -1}$ above an inclined impermeable plane, stored liquid volume per area is $P{h}^{\alpha }/\alpha$. The depth-integrated Darcy flux is $\rho gK{h}^{\beta }(\sin \theta -\cos \theta h_x,-\cos \theta h_y)/(\beta \mu )$. Conservation of mass yields the displayed equation with $X=x\tan \theta$, $Y=y\tan \theta$ and $T=t\alpha \rho gK\sin \theta \tan \theta /(\beta \mu P)$.

For saturated Darcy flow through a long dam occupying a channel of width $\alpha z^2$, let hydraulic conductivity be $K=k\rho g/\mu$ and free-surface height $h(x)$. The Dupuit approximation gives $Q=-K\alpha h^3{h}_x/3$. Fixed heads $h(0)=H$ and $h(L)=\eta$ give $h^4=H^4-(H^4-{\eta }^4)x/L$ and the displayed steady discharge. Porosity relates pore velocity to superficial Darcy velocity but does not independently multiply this discharge when $k$ is intrinsic permeability. For depth-dependent permeability, integrate the horizontal conductivity over the saturated cross-section first.

Effective porosity is the pore-volume fraction accessible to connected transport under the specified measurement or model. It excludes isolated pore volume and may also exclude poorly exchanging regions on the transport timescale, so $0\le {\varphi }_e\le \varphi$ for total porosity $\varphi$. In a simple mobile-volume model the mean pore velocity is $q/{\varphi }_e$; the assumptions behind that model matter when interpreting tracer arrival times. A sample with total porosity $0.25$ but mobile pore fraction $0.20$ and Darcy flux $2.0\times 10^{-5}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$ has mobile mean pore velocity $1.0\times 10^{-4}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. Woessner and Poeter discuss the role of connectivity and slowly exchanging pores.^[ref]

When a hemispherical wetted front loses liquid at fixed volumetric flux per unit area $F_e$, equilibrium balances inlet flow with $2\pi R^2{F}_e$. The displayed radius exceeds $R_s$ and is stable because inlet flow decreases while evaporating area increases with radius. Porosity affects the adjustment time but cancels from the equilibrium radius.

Firn is compacted, recrystallized old snow that has not yet become dense glacier ice. Its porosity affects meltwater infiltration and heat transfer.

When a rarefaction wave attaches to a saturation shock, its terminal characteristic speed must match the Rankine-Hugoniot condition speed. This gives a tangent from the initial state $(s_0,F(s_0))$ to the fractional-flow curve at $s_s$. It selects the upstream shock saturation; the actual dimensional shock speed still includes total flux divided by porosity.

A hydrated, compositionally modified interfacial layer formed during glass corrosion. Its porosity, transport properties and continuing reactions can affect the residual alteration rate.

Consolidation of a powder under simultaneous heating and applied pressure. Phase formation, density and connected porosity must be checked separately.

A dense porous gravity current of height $h$ places excess hydrostatic pressure $\Delta \rho gh$ on a basal seal. For seal permeability of a porous medium $\lambda$ and thickness $b$, Darcy law gives downward flux $\lambda \Delta \rho gh/(\mu b)$. Dividing the stored height-volume balance by porosity $\varphi$ gives a linear drainage term $-\Omega h$. The coefficient has inverse-time units and does not contain an extra factor of the aquifer permeability.

For a thin buoyant layer beneath an inclined impermeable roof, the hydrostatic approximation and Darcy's law give $u=kg\Delta \rho \sin \theta /\mu$ and the volume flux per unit width $F=uh-u\cot \theta h{h}_x$. The first term transports fluid upslope; the second spreads the layer through its hydrostatic pressure gradient. The porosity multiplies the stored fluid volume, so the advection speed is $u/\varphi$, not the Darcy velocity $u$.

For $\mathcal{C}=C_0/\Delta C\gg 1$ and inverse Stefan number $\mathcal{S}=O(\mathcal{C})$, a stagnant mushy-layer model has nearly constant effective heat capacity, giving ${\Omega }^2{\theta }_t=\kappa {\theta }_{zz}$ with ${\Omega }^2=1+\mathcal{S}/\mathcal{C}$. With negligible liquid solutal diffusivity, roof value $\theta =-1$, positive liquid superheat ${\theta }_{\infty }$, and edge $h=2\lambda \sqrt{\kappa t}$, the mush profile is $\theta =-1+\mathrm{erf}(\Omega \eta )/\mathrm{erf}(\Omega \lambda )$. Matching heat flux requires $\Omega e^{{\lambda }^2}\mathrm{erfc}\lambda ={\theta }_{\infty }{e}^{{\Omega }^2{\lambda }^2}\mathrm{erf}(\Omega \lambda )$. The square on $\Omega$ in the exponential is essential. The porosity $\mathcal{C}/(\mathcal{C}-\theta )$ records the leading composition balance; the linear thermal profile is asymptotic, not exact at finite $\mathcal{C}$.

A sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate, commonly calcite. Many limestones form through biological or chemical carbonate accumulation in marine settings, while others form in lakes. Burial, cementation, dissolution and fractures can strongly alter their porosity and porous permeability.

The liquid fraction is the volume fraction occupied by liquid in a solid–liquid mixture. For a saturated rigid mushy layer, it is the porosity available to Darcy flux.

At a sharp mush–liquid edge with linear liquidus $T_L=T_m-mC$, marginal equilibrium makes the liquid temperature gradient tangent to the local liquidus: $T_z=-m{C}_z$. Together with $T=T_L$ at the edge and $T\ge T_L$ in the exterior liquid, it supplies the usual absence-of-constitutional supercooling closure. When solute diffusion is neglected inside the mushy layer but retained outside it, interfacial solute conservation can require a small solid fraction jump; imposing unit porosity as an additional finite-diffusivity condition generally overdetermines this sharp-edge reduction.

Take $x$ along a horizontal gap and $s$ perpendicular to its plates, with $0<s<b$. Assume a Newtonian fluid, stationary plates, a steady flow, a laminar flow and a fully developed flow away from the entrances and side edges. The no-slip boundary condition holds on both plates. Any transverse gravity is absorbed in the hydrostatic pressure; there is no imposed transverse through-flow. Translational symmetry and the no-penetration boundary condition then give $\mathbf{u}=(u(s),0,0)$. The Navier-Stokes equation reduces toTwice integrating gives the plane Poiseuille flow:The volumetric flow rate through one gap isThere are $n-1$ internal gaps. Their total cross-sectional area is $(n-1)wb$, because the plate thickness is negligible, so the Darcy velocity isThus the permeability of a porous medium has the dimensions of squared length. If finite plate thickness were included, the Darcy velocity averaged over the whole manifold would also contain its porosity.

Both the local acceleration and the convective acceleration vanish: ${\partial }_t\mathbf{u}=0$ and $(\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla )\mathbf{u}=u_x{\partial }_x\mathbf{u}=0$. The dominant balance is therefore between the pressure gradient and viscous stress, with no inertia contribution in this fully developed solution. This exact cancellation does not guarantee that arbitrary large-Reynolds number realizations remain laminar flows; entrances, disturbances and turbulence can invalidate the assumptions.

Use a fixed representative volume $V$ containing many pores. Let $\phi$ be the porosity and let $\mathbf{q}$ be the Darcy velocity, defined per unit total area. The conservation of mass isThe solid matrix is rigid and fixed, and the liquid is fully saturating and has constant mass density, so the stored mass on the left is constant. Microscopic internal liquid-solid boundaries contribute no through-flux by the no-penetration boundary condition. Applying the divergence theorem to the external flux givesSince the representative volume is arbitrary, the macroscopic continuity equation isThere is no extra factor of $\phi$ in the flux: that factor is already incorporated in the definition of the Darcy velocity. A compressible liquid or deformable matrix would require retaining the storage term.

Under spherical symmetry, the continuity equation and Darcy's law giveHence $q_r=C/r^2$, and integrating the pressure gradient from infinity givesThe boundary condition at $r=a$ fixes $C={\Pi }_{1}a\Delta p/\eta$. Therefore spherical Darcy injection hasHere $q_r$ is the superficial Darcy velocity, not the pore velocity $q_r/\phi$.

For the comparison, assume geometrically similar pore networks, equal porosity, the same source radius and far boundary geometry, and equal pump efficiency. Dimensional analysis then gives ${\Pi }_1=C_{\mathrm{geom}}{d}^2$ with the same dimensionless factor. ConsequentlyAt a fixed desired volumetric flow rate, the required excess pressure and pumping power areAquifer A requires half the pumping power at equal throughput, or half the energy to inject the same volume over the same time. This compares the excess pressure-volume work dissipated by the Darcy flow; any different baseline compression or other plant costs need separate accounting.

The imposed comparison matters. At fixed $\Delta p$, A takes twice the volumetric flow rate and twice the instantaneous power, but the same excess energy per injected volume. The pore spacing alone does not determine permeability of a porous medium if network geometry or porosity changes; without the geometric assumptions the preference cannot be inferred from $d$ alone.