RT Journal Article ID 7288f7d155f9b253 A1 Bentsen , Ramon G. A1 Trivedi, Japan J. T1 MODIFIED TRANSPORT EQUATIONS FOR THE THREE-PHASE FLOW OF IMMISCIBLE, INCOMPRESSIBLE FLUIDS THROUGH WATER-WET POROUS MEDIA JF Journal of Porous Media JO JPM YR 2012 FD 2012-02-17 VO 15 IS 2 SP 123 OP 136 K1 transport equations K1 interfacial coupling K1 immiscible fluids K1 incompressible fluids K1 cocurrent flow K1 countercurrent flow K1 three-phase flow AB In this study, generalized transport equations are combined with partition concepts to construct modified transport equations for the immiscible, incompressible, and vertical three-phase flow of fluids. These equations are used to demonstrate that failure to include interfacial coupling in the mathematical description of such flow can introduce significant amounts of model error into the equations used to describe vertical three-phase flow through porous media. It was found that when the magnitudes of the potential gradient and the net buoyant force for the wetting phase were of the same order, failure to account for interfacial coupling introduced a significant amount of model error into the analysis. The model error for the wetting phase was found to be larger than that for the two nonwetting phases. If the potential gradient for the wetting phase was an order of magnitude larger than the net buoyant force, neglect ofinterfacial coupling effects introduced smaller amounts of model error into the analysis. Also, it was found that a failure to take proper account of interfacial coupling in the mathematical description of three-phase countercurrent flow resulted in the introduction of more model error than was the case for cocurrent flow. Finally, it was determined that the modified transport equations describing three-phase countercurrent flow were case dependent. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/49dcde6d4c0809db,4556baa703e923d7,7288f7d155f9b253.html