Modelling and 3D printing of a random porous media using iterative function system fractals

Abstract

3D-printed porous media are useful in conducting research in many fields. Fabricated core samples can be utilised in core flooding experiments to investigate fluid flow (natural gas, CO2 and hydrogen) within an engineered porous media. This work aimed to create digital cores using randomly generated porous media and fabricate the cores using 3D-printing technology. A code is developed that utilises an iterative function system to generate individual maps with random points across their surfaces. A predetermined number of individual maps are generated and stacked on top of each other in a 3D space. The maps are transferred to an Autodesk Inventor environment in the form of coordinates in space. The 3D model of the digital core is constructed in the Inventor and exported as a 3D-printed file. The digital cores are 3D printed using different materials and technologies to identify the best approach. The results show that the digital core constructed using six individual maps, with each map having 10 000 random points, can be successfully fabricated using resin as the printing material. A post-printing micro-CT scan imaging of the fabricated core clearly shows 3D-printed pores (both isolated and connected pores) throughout the core sample. This confirms that 3D-printed pores have adequate quality and that connectivity has been attained throughout the sample.