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components move easier through the fracture. The oxygen penetrates from fracture
to the matrix and plays a crucial role to the propagation of the combustion front.
A significant oil expulsion from the matrix to the fracture also was observed, which
is a consequence of the enhanced oil mobility by the high temperatures and perme-
ability of fracture. We found that: (1) temperature is not strongly affected by the
fracture, (2) oxygen concentration gradients is the driving force for diffusive mech-
anisms, then the matrix microstructure plays a crucial role to facilitate the oxygen
transport inside the matrix, (3) a poorly permeable matrix could not favour oxygen
transport with further combustion front extinction, and (4) along the tube, the high
temperatures lead to a decrease the oil viscosity, and then due to a pressure gradient
between matrix and fracture, a significant amount of oil is expelled from the matrix
to the fracture region close to the combustion front.
References
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