Flow and transport in highly heterogeneous formations: High-resolution large-scale numerical simulations

High-resolution numerical simulations of flow and transport in porous media were performed to examine the performance of the first order dispersion model and newly introduced "self-consistent" model (Dagan, Fiori, this issue). Simulations were performed using the analytic element method that allows for large contrasts in hydraulic conductivity between neighbouring inclusions. Numerically obtained results agree well with those obtained using the self-consistent model. The agreement is favourable for both the velocity variances and the dispersion coefficients at all levels of heterogeneity. The agreement between numerically obtained results and the first order results is limited to moderate levels of heterogeneity.