Structural response in steady-state flow of a multi-component driven system: interacting lattice gas simulation

The effects of molecular weights (MA,MB) on the self-organized segregation of immiscible constituents (A,B) driven by pressure bias (H=0.0–1.0) generated by geologic processes are examined by an interacting lattice gas Monte Carlo simulation. Constituents (A,B), released from a source at the bottom according to their lattice concentrations, can escape the lattice from top or bottom. The longitudinal steady-state density profiles (A,B) depend on their molecular weight and bias with linear, exponential, and non-monotonic decays with the height. The transverse density profiles show signatures of partial layering. The total number (N) of constituents remains nearly constant in steady state and seems to decay with the bias, N∝H-0.14 for all but extreme range of H. At MA=0.1, MB⩾0.8, number of constituents (NA,NB) show non-monotonic dependence on H with NB⪢NA but a maximum in NA and minimum in NB.