Experimental testing of mobility predictions in averaged models of viscous fingering

In this paper miscible viscous fingering results have been presented for '2D linear' displacement experiments at mobility ratios of approximately M = 4, 11 and 30. Both effluent profiles (recoveries) and pressure drops along the fingers have been measured and the reproducibility of these in each of the experimental cycles in repacked beds is very good. The effluent and pressure behaviour has been modelled using direct fine grid numerical simulation and a number of averaged models of viscous fingering have been evaluated using the experimental pressure data including the Koval, Todd and Longstaff, Fayers and the Odeh and Cohen models. It has been found that direct numerical simulation reproduces both the experimental effluent concentration profiles and the observed pressure drop behaviour very well. However, of the averaged model approaches, the Todd and Longstaff and an equivalent mixing model give the most satisfactory agreement with the observed effective in situ mobilities (pressure drops) in the