Velocity profile in confined elliptic fractures

The primary objective of this research is to determine the friction inside a smooth fracture and to incorporate the effect of friction on a fluid transient inside a tapered-elliptical-confined fracture. In order to do so, the non-uniform velocity profile in an elliptic fracture with laminar flow of both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids was calculated. A transient flow computer program is presented using the method of characteristics, to show the frictional effects on acoustic damping. However for flow inside a hydraulic fracture, the 3D velocity profile is highly non-uniform, and the use of Vav creates an error as Vmax \u3e\u3e Vav. The variation in hydraulic diameter associated with an elliptic cross-section of a confined fracture as given by the Perkins/Kern mode16 is responsible for the large difference between Vmax and Vav. It is shown that for a smooth wall, elliptic fracture, with laminar Newtonian flow, V max = 2.66 Vav