An experimental investigation of boundary layer over permeable interfaces in Hele-Shaw micromodels

This study experimentally investigates boundary layer development over permeable interfaces using Hele-Shaw micromodels and high-resolution micro-particle image velocimetry (micro-PIV). Velocity vectors, captured at a 5 μm scale, reveal the flow behavior at the interface between free-flow and porous media with ordered structures and porosities ranging from 50% to 85%. The results show that the boundary layer streamline alignment decreases with increasing porosity, while lower permeability fosters more uniform and parallel flow near the interface. Flow channeling occurs along paths of the least resistance, with more flow directed through the Hele-Shaw free-flow region as the solid fraction of the porous material increases. The Reynolds number (0.14–0.94), based on the Hele-Shaw hydraulic diameter, has a minimal effect on the normalized velocity distribution. Furthermore, an analytical solution for the external boundary layer thickness exhibited good agreement with experimental data, confirming a thickness of 2–4 times the square root of the free-flow Hele-Shaw permeability. Additionally, a Q-criterion analysis identified, for the first time, distinct zones within the external boundary layer, capturing the balance between rotational and deformation components as a function of permeability. These findings offer insight into flow dynamics in porous media systems, with implications for both natural and industrial applications, and contribute to the improved modeling of fluid dynamics and momentum transport in coupled free-flow and porous media environments.