Abstract

Numerical simulations of isothermal drying of non-hygroscopic liquid-wet rigid porous media are performed. Two and three-dimensional pore networks represent pore spaces. Two kinds of mechanisms are considered: evaporation and hydraulic flow. The drying is considered as modified form of invasion percolation. Liquid in pore corners allows for hydraulic connection throughout the network at all times. As drying progresses liquid is replaced by vapor by two fundamental mechanisms: evaporation and pressure-gradient-driven liquid flow. Using Monte Carlo simulation, I find evaporation and drainage times. The shortest calculated indicates the controlling mechanism. Initially, the drying is governed by liquid flow, then by a combination of liquid flow and evaporation and finally the drying is controlled by local evaporation. Here I report distributions of liquid and vapor as drying times advance and liquid diffusivity and vapor diffusivity as function of liquid saturation