[Rolanzo]

Dear Foamers,

I am currently working on reservoir simulation problems. I have developed a solver for coupled reservoir simulation-geomechanic, now I would like to implement a method called EDFM to improve computational time for complex problems with multiple fractures. The way EDFM (Embedded Discrete Fracture Model) works is to separately fracture completely from matrix, fractures can be put anywhere outside the matrix, but they must still be able to communicate with matrix at every time step. Please see attached picture for more details.

Basically, fracture exists in cell 1 to 9, then it is removed and placed on cell 11 to 19, which is a ghost row created to store information inside fracture (cell 20 and so on are empty). Throughout the simulation, cell 11 will communicate with cell 12 and 1 with different transmissibility, cell 12 with communicate with cell 11, 13, and 2, and the same for the rest. There is no communication between cell 11-31, 12-32, 13-33, and so on. Governing equation for the matrix and fracture is a modified momentum equation using Darcy's flow; however, the communication between 1-11, 2-12, and so on will be treated specially with different transmissibility, finally, pressure in side matrix and fracture will be solved at every time step.

I have been trying to search this forum, but could not find any thread relating to non neighboring connection, and since I am still new with OpenFOAM, so I wonder if there is anyway that I could use some function to make cells inside fracture (11-19) connect to cell inside matrix (1-9)? Please note that this connection is not like attaching fracture domain to matrix domain physically as the cells inside matrix still have to communicate with their neighboring cells (4 surrounding for 2D and 6 surrounding for 3D when performing discretization), so it has to be some kind of special connection.

Thank you very much for any comments/suggestions!