A variational theory for frictional flow of fluids in inhomogeneous porous systems

For nonlinear steady paths of a fluid in an inhomogeneous isotropic porous medium a Fermat-like principle of minimum time is formulated which shows that the fluid streamlines are curved by a location dependent hydraulic conductivity. The principle describes an optimal nature of nonlinear paths in steady Darcy’s flows of fluids. An expression for the total resistance of the path leads to a basic analytical formula for an optimal shape of a steady trajectory. In the physical space an optimal curved path ensures the maximum flux or shortest transition time of the fluid through the porous medium. A sort of “law of bending” holds for the frictional fluid flux in Lagrange coordinates. This law shows that – by minimizing the total resistance – a ray spanned between two given points takes the shape assuring that its relatively large part resides in the region of lower flow resistance (a ‘rarer’ region of the medium). Analogies and dissimilarities with other systems (e.g. optical or thermal ones) are also discussed.