Local pore size correlations determine flow distributions in porous media

Abstract

The relationship between the microstructure of a porous medium and the observed flow distribution is still a puzzle. We resolve it with an analytical model, where the local correlations between adjacent pores, which determine the distribution of flows propagated from one pore downstream, predict the flow distribution. Numerical simulations of a two-dimensional porous medium verify the model and clearly show the transition of flow distributions from $\delta$-function-like via Gaussians to exponential with increasing disorder. Comparison to experimental data further verifies our numerical approach.