Fluid Flow Properties and Units

Typical SI units for the various fluid flow parameters are given in the table below.

Parameter

3DEC keyword

SI Units

Joint aperture at zero normal stress, \(u_{h0}\)

flowplane property aperture-initial

m

Joint maximum aperture, \(u_{max}\)

flowplane property aperture-maximum

m

Joint minimum (residual) aperture, \(u_{res}\)

flowplane property aperture-minimum

m

Fluid bulk modulus, \(K_w\)

block fluid property bulk

Pa

Fluid density, \(ρ_f\)

block fluid property density

kg/m3

Dynamic viscosity, \(μ\)

block fluid property viscosity

Pa · sec

Flow rate or discharge per unit width of joint \(q\)

flowplane edge apply discharge

m3/sec · m

Volumetric flow rate, \(Q\)

flowknot apply discharge

m3/sec

Fluid pressure, \(p\)

flowpknot apply pore-pressure

Pa

Joint hydraulic conductivity, \(k_H\)

m/s

Gas flow constant, \(γ\)

block fluid gas alpha

Gas flow constant, \(B\)

block fluid gas constant

s2/m2

Proppant volumetric concentration, \(c\)

flowplane vertex initialize proppant-volume

Proppant grain diameter

block fluid proppant grain-size

m

Proppant density, \(ρ_d\)

block fluid proppant density

kg/m3

Proppant pack intrinsic permeability

block fluid proppant permeability

M3

Matrix mobility coefficient, \(k\)

block zone fluid property permeability

m2/(Pa/s)

Matrix porosity, \(n\)

block zone fluid property porosity