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Dear OpenFOAM Community,


As a long-time user but first-time developer of OpenFOAM, I am reaching out for clarification regarding the best choice of a multiphase solver for simulating flow in porous media using mixture theory, i.e. mass and momentum are solved for a mixture of phases.
A bit of background about myself: I have extensive experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), primarily working in the field of incompressible large-eddy simulation (LES) for aerodynamics. However, I am relatively new to the field of multiphase flows and porous media in OpenFOAM.
I am starting a project which mainly focuses on the development of a multiphase flow solver based on mixture theory. The focus is on understanding the interaction between multiple phases and a porous medium (which ideally would be simulated as a solid phase), with potential applications including:

1. Air-water instabilities in porous media
2. Biofilm-turbulent flow interaction
3. Foam formation
4. Erosion and sediment/solute transport

Given my limited experience in this area, I am hoping to leverage the expertise of the OpenFOAM community to make an informed decision. While I understand that there may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, I would like to identify the most versatile option available and then potentially modify it to meet my specific needs.


I am aware that driftFluxFoam uses the mixture approach, but it seems to be limited to interactions between sludge/water or dispersed phase/water. Additionally, I am uncertain about its accuracy when it comes to simulating air/water, vapor/water interactions, or interactions with porous structures.
I have also found targeted solvers such as porousMedia4Foam and porousMuliphaseFoam but, as far as I understood, they make use of Darcy-Brinkman approach and I would like to stay with the full NS equations.



If anyone has experience or insights regarding this, I would greatly appreciate any recommendations, suggestions, or pointers to relevant resources.


Thank you all in advance for your assistance and valuable input.


Best regards,

G