An experimental setup with radial injection for investigation of transport and deposition of suspended particles in porous media

A radial injection experimental setup is presented in this paper, which allows one to study the transport and deposition of suspended particles and permeability impairment in porous media. This setup allows one to simulate the conditions of the injection of produced water in oil reservoirs from an injection well. This is achieved by a radial injection of water containing suspended particles of a few microns in size from a central well including a sand screen, through a confined cylindrical sand pack (diameter 52 cm, height 40 cm). A peripheral drainage system permits the recovery of the fluid at the outlet of the sand pack by a collector equipped with a turbidimeter for measuring the concentration of suspended particles. The injection pressure is measured at the inlet, and six pore pressure probes have been installed at different locations inside the sand pack. First experimental results presented show a significant heterogeneity of deposited particle profiles in both radial and axial directions.