Enhanced Mixing and Plume Containment in Porous Media under Time-Dependent Oscillatory Flow

Solute transport experiments were conducted in a decimeter scale flow cell packed with sand to study the potential for enhanced mixing of solutes in porous media and improved containment of injected plumes under multiple pumping-well driven, time-dependent oscillatory flow with respect to constant f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2009-08, Vol.43 (16), p.6283-6288
Main Authors: Zhang, Pengfei, DeVries, Stephanie L, Dathe, Annette, Bagtzoglou, Amvrossios C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
1,2-Dihydroxybenzene-3,5-Disulfonic Acid Disodium Salt - chemistry
Applied sciences
Aquifers
Calibration
Chemical reactions
Environmental Restoration and Remediation
Exact sciences and technology
Fluorescein - chemistry
Molybdenum - chemistry
Pollution
Porosity
Remediation and Control Technologies
Reynolds number
Rheology
Solute movement
Time Factors
Water Supply
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Summary:Solute transport experiments were conducted in a decimeter scale flow cell packed with sand to study the potential for enhanced mixing of solutes in porous media and improved containment of injected plumes under multiple pumping-well driven, time-dependent oscillatory flow with respect to constant flow. Real-time imaging of the colorimetric reaction of Tiron (1,2-dihydroxybenzene-3,5-disulfonic acid) and molybdate was used to quantify mixing, whereas fluorescein was used to better examine plume size. Results from the small scale experiments clearly demonstrated the enhanced mixing of solutes under low Reynolds number oscillatory flow (a factor of 2 with respect to constant flow in homogeneous sand and a factor of 3 in layered sand), as the result of increased contact interface for solute diffusion. Further, the injected solute plume was better contained under oscillatory flow (25% less area with respect to constant flow in homogeneous sand) due to the cancellation of advective transport at each well over time. Enhanced mixing under oscillatory flow may enhance the processes of chemical and biological remediation. Furthermore, improved plume containment under oscillatory flow may require smaller amounts of chemicals to be injected during aquifer remediation.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es900854r