Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

A time-of-flight imaging technique is introduced to visualize fluid flow and dispersion through porous media using NMR. As the fluid flows through a sample, the nuclear spin magnetization is modulated by RF pulses and magnetic field gradients to encode the spatial coordinates of the fluid. When the fluid leaves the sample, its magnetization is recorded by a second RF coil. This scheme not only facilitates a time-dependent imaging of fluid flow, it also allows a separate optimization of encoding and detection subsystems to enhance overall sensitivity. The technique is demonstrated by imaging gas flow through a porous rock.