Lattice Boltzmann Simulations for Micro-Macro Interactions during Isothermal drying of capillary porous media

Drying of capillary porous media involves coupled heat and mass transfer in complex void space geometry which makes it difficult to model and estimate drying rates accurately. The intricate dynamics of invasion patterns lead to phenomena like Haines jumps and capillary pumping resulting existence of drying front for a longer period. Hence, it plays a vital role in alteration of drying rates. So far, modeling of drying was done using continuum models or more popularly, Pore Network Models (PNM). However, reconstructed geometry in PNM lack in representing actual void space which plays a role in invasion patterns in drying phenomena. Alternatively, Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) can be used which automatically track the interface and simulate multiphase model with such an irregularity in geometry. In this work, Lattice Boltzmann method has been used to simulate invasion patterns of a monodispersed capillary porous media and the corresponding drying rates were estimated.