Phase-field modeling of an immiscible liquid-liquid displacement in a capillary.

We develop a numerical model for a two-phase flow of a pair of immiscible liquids within a capillary tube. We assume that a capillary is initially saturated with one liquid and the other liquid is injected via one of the capillary's ends. The governing equations are solved in the velocity-pressure formulation, so the pressure levels are imposed at the capillary inlet and outlet ends. We model the structure of the flow and the shape of the interface. We are able to reproduce the flow for a wide range of capillary numbers, when the meniscus preserves its shape moving together with the flow, and when the meniscus constantly stretches resembling the transport of a passive impurity. We demonstrate that the phase-field approach is capable of reproducing all features of the liquid-liquid displacement, including the motion of a contact line, the dynamic changes of the capillary pressure, and the dynamic changes of the apparent contact angle.