Simple Waves in Saturated Porous Media : I. The Isothermal Case

Abstract

In a previous paper (Bear et al. Fluid Dynamics Research, Vol.9, pp.155-164) a mathematical model was developed in order to analyze an abrupt pressure impact applied to a compressible fluid flowing through saturated, porous media under isothermal conditions. It was shown that during a certain time period following the onset of pressure change, the macroscopic fluid momentum balance equation conforms to a wave form. This paper presents a one-dimensional simple analytical solution to this wave equation. The wave equation is transformed to Euler's equation describing the motion of a "new" fluid with characteristics related to the former one.