Abstract
Pore-scale studies of multiphase flow in porous medium systems can be used to under-
stand transport mechanisms and quantitatively determine closure relations that better
incorporate microscale physics into macroscale models. Multiphase flow simulators con-
structed using the lattice Boltzmann method provide a means to conduct such studies,
including both the equilibrium and dynamic aspects. Moving, storing, and analyzing the
large state space presents a computational challenge when highly-resolved models are
applied. We present an approach to simulate multiphase flow processes in which in-situ
analysis is applied to track multiphase flow dynamics at high temporal resolution. We
compute a comprehensive set of measures of the phase distributions and the system dy-
namics, which can be used to aid fundamental understanding and inform closure relations
for macroscale models. The measures computed include microscale point representations
and macroscale averages of fluid saturations, the pressure and velocity of the fluid phases,
interfacial areas, interfacial curvatures, interface and common curve velocities, interfacial
orientation tensors, phase velocities and the contact angle between the fluid-fluid inter-
face and the solid surface. Test cases are studied to validate the approach and illustrate
how measures of system state can be obtained and used to inform macroscopic theory.
