Pore-scale investigation of brine evaporation and salt precipitation in fractured porous media
Abstract
Understanding salt precipitation during evaporation in fractured porous media is essential for predicting pore-structure evolution, fracture permeability changes, and leakage miti gation. In fractured systems, brine transport occurs in both fracture and matrix domains, resulting in complex interactions. Using X-ray microtomography, this study investigated the mechanisms of brine evaporation and salt precipitation in such media. The results revealed two distinct stages of salt migration: (I) Evaporation and capillary transport, and (II) salt precipitation and accumulation. In Stage I, fractures acted as preferential gas pathways, exhibiting lower brine saturation, while the matrix retained higher saturation due to stronger capillarity. Residual brine films on particle surfaces within the fracture sustained evaporation and enabled capillary backflow from the matrix, further increasing brine concentration. In Stage II, once solubility limits were exceeded, salt crystals formed in the fracture, inducing additional capillary suction that drew more brine from the matrix and promoted further salt deposition. Increasing the gas flow rate limited brine migration toward the fracture center, thereby reducing salt accumulation in the fracture. At low flow rates, capillary replenishment from the matrix dominated over evaporation, sustaining continuous brine supply and extensive salt deposition throughout the fracture. At high flow rates, evaporation prevailed, restricting brine transport and confining salt accumulation mainly to the fracture-matrix interface. Across all conditions, salt precipitation progressively reduced effective pore sizes in both fracture and matrix, with implications for fracture permeability evolution.
Document Type: Original article
Cited as: Susanto, W., Nasir, M., Wang, B., Sin, S., Patmonoaji, A., Matsushita, S., Suekane, T. Pore-scale investigation of brine evaporation and salt precipitation in fractured porous media. Capillarity, 2026, 18(2): 68-82. https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2026.02.03
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2026.02.03Keywords:
Fractured porous media, salt precipitation, capillary backflow, evaporation, capillarity, X-ray microtomographyReferences
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