Multiphase flow is the most common application for network modeling. The reason is that multiphase processes tend to depend strongly on both microstructure and surface wettability, which precludes continuum approaches from capturing first-principles behavior.

While network modeling is not rigorous, it has proved to be a valuable intermediate-scale approach, particularly for modeling capillary pressure behavior and relative permeability. Under many conditions, these two phenomena are insensitive to detailed interface behavior but do depend on pore-scale heterogeneity and pore structure -- factors that are captured effectively by network models.

Current multiphase research topics for the consortium include improved techniques for modeling viscous multiphase flows, issues related to interface stability and phase trapping, quantifying the role of wetting films and channels on transport, and developing techniques for imaged-based modeling of multiphase flow.