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Darcy fluxes around a central grid

Short answer

Darcy fluxes are qA = –6.500×10⁻⁴, qB = –3.000×10⁻⁴, qC = 6.500×10⁻⁴, qD = 1.200×10⁻³ m²/s. Negative signs indicate flow entering the central grid from the A and B directions.

The figure below shows a central grid surrounded by four grids for simulating two dimensional groundwater flow under steady state condition. Values of potential function (ϕ\phi) are given below: ϕi−1,j=12\phi_{i-1,j} = 12, ϕi+1,j=14\phi_{i+1,j} = 14, ϕi,j=13\phi_{i,j} = 13, ϕi,j−1=13.5\phi_{i,j-1} = 13.5, ϕi,j+1=11\phi_{i,j+1} = 11. Transmissivity in X-direction =0.013= 0.013 m2^2/s for all grids, transmissivity in Y-direction =0.015= 0.015 m2^2/s for all grids. Taking ΔX=20\Delta X = 20 m and ΔY=25\Delta Y = 25 m, compute Darcy fluxes qAq_A, qBq_B, qCq_C and qDq_D from the finite difference equation in terms of ϕ\phi.

[Figure: central grid (i,j)(i, j) with qAq_A to the right (towards i+1i+1), qBq_B upward (towards j−1j-1), qCq_C to the left (towards i−1i-1) and qDq_D downward (towards j+1j+1); x to the right, y downward]

Darcy's law for a confined (transmissivity) aquifer gives the flux per unit width across the face between two grids as

q=T ϕfrom−ϕtoΔq=T\,\frac{\phi_{\text{from}}-\phi_{\text{to}}}{\Delta}

where Δ\Delta is the grid spacing in the direction of flow. Here each flux is measured out of the central grid in the direction of its arrow (positive = leaving the central grid, negative = entering it). The face width is ΔY\Delta Y for xx-direction fluxes and ΔX\Delta X for yy-direction fluxes.

              j-1  (qB, up)
               ^
  i-1 (qC) <-- (i,j) --> (qA) i+1
               v
              j+1  (qD, down)

Fluxes (Tx=0.013T_x=0.013, Ty=0.015T_y=0.015 m2^2/s; ΔX=20\Delta X=20 m, ΔY=25\Delta Y=25 m)

qA=Txϕi,j−ϕi+1,jΔX=0.013 13−1420=−6.500×10−4 m2/sq_A=T_x\frac{\phi_{i,j}-\phi_{i+1,j}}{\Delta X}=0.013\,\frac{13-14}{20}=-6.500\times10^{-4}\ \text{m}^2/\text{s} qB=Tyϕi,j−ϕi,j−1ΔY=0.015 13−13.525=−3.000×10−4 m2/sq_B=T_y\frac{\phi_{i,j}-\phi_{i,j-1}}{\Delta Y}=0.015\,\frac{13-13.5}{25}=-3.000\times10^{-4}\ \text{m}^2/\text{s} qC=Txϕi,j−ϕi−1,jΔX=0.013 13−1220=6.500×10−4 m2/sq_C=T_x\frac{\phi_{i,j}-\phi_{i-1,j}}{\Delta X}=0.013\,\frac{13-12}{20}=6.500\times10^{-4}\ \text{m}^2/\text{s} qD=Tyϕi,j−ϕi,j+1ΔY=0.015 13−1125=1.200×10−3 m2/sq_D=T_y\frac{\phi_{i,j}-\phi_{i,j+1}}{\Delta Y}=0.015\,\frac{13-11}{25}=1.200\times10^{-3}\ \text{m}^2/\text{s}

Flow through each face (flux ×\times face width)

FaceDirectionqq (m2^2/s)Face width (m)QQ (m3^3/s)
Ato i+1i+1−6.500×10−4-6.500\times10^{-4}25-0.01625
Bto j−1j-1−3.000×10−4-3.000\times10^{-4}20-0.00600
Cto i−1i-16.500×10−46.500\times10^{-4}250.01625
Dto j+1j+11.200×10−31.200\times10^{-3}200.02400

Answer: qA=−6.500×10−4q_A=-6.500\times10^{-4}, qB=−3.000×10−4q_B=-3.000\times10^{-4}, qC=6.500×10−4q_C=6.500\times10^{-4}, qD=1.200×10−3q_D=1.200\times10^{-3} m2^2/s. Negative signs mean water flows into the central grid from the A and B sides; water leaves through C and D.

Check: the net outflow is ΣQ=0.018\Sigma Q=0.018 m3^3/s ≠0\ne0, so the given potentials are not a steady-state set. For exact steady state the central potential would be ϕi,j=12.681\phi_{i,j}=12.681 m (from ∑\sum fluxes =0=0).

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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