On the Control of Glass Micro-model Characteristics Developed by Laser Technology

The role of micro-models for studying fluid flow mechanisms at the pore scale is undeniable. Recently, application of laser technology has been much attended for developing micro-models with different flow patterns. However, there is no reported experience in the literature that has been correlated with the laser parameters for direct control of micro-model pore size characteristics. In this work, a CO2 laser device was used to construct flow patterns on the glass surfaces, and the effect of fractional power, engraving speed, and resolution ratio on etched depth as well as surface heterogeneity of constructed models were investigated. A new correlation has been proposed that relates the laser parameters to the pore morphology of the glass micro-models. The proposed exponential expression provides a reasonably accurate and fast tool for controlling micro-model characteristics. In addition, microscopic observation showed that sensible heterogeneity on glass surfaces induced by laser can be controlled by adjusting the resolution ratio, and is a good representation of reservoir rock surfaces. The permeability of the constructed models by a laser device is a better representation of real reservoir rock conditions. The results of this work can be helpful for designing and constructing micro-models with controlling pore morphology.