Porebody

Porebody is a term used in the study of porous media to describe a relatively large void region within a connected pore space. In many contexts, pore bodies are connected to neighboring voids by narrower passages known as pore throats. This two-part structure—pore bodies and pore throats—helps organize the microscopic geometry of a porous material.

In pore-network modeling, the medium is represented as a network of pore bodies (nodes) linked by pore throats (edges). The size, shape, and volume of pore bodies, along with their connectivity, influence storage capacity and the pathways available for fluid flow. While throats determine entry pressures and flow resistance, the distribution of pore-body sizes governs which voids fill or drain first during drainage or imbibition, affecting capillary pressure behavior and hysteresis.

Characterization of pore bodies typically relies on high-resolution imaging, such as micro-computed tomography or electron microscopy, complemented by indirect measurements like mercury intrusion porosimetry or nuclear magnetic resonance. Image analysis yields size distributions, shapes, and connectivity, which can be used to construct pore-network models or to derive macroscopic properties such as porosity and effective permeability.

Applications of the pore-body concept span geology, hydrology, petroleum engineering, soil science, and materials science. It helps explain storage and transport in rocks and soils, capillary phenomena, and flow pathways in foams, catalysts, and adsorbent materials. The idea is frequently contrasted with pore throats, which are the constricted connections between pore bodies and often control capillary entry pressures and invasion dynamics.