Multiple Tracer Tests in Porous Media During Clogging

Abstract:

Transport processes are known to be governed by the physical and chemical heterogeneity of the subsurface. Clogging processes can alter this heterogeneity as function of time and thus can modify transport. To understand transport under clogging conditions and to unravel the potential of multiple tracer tests to characterize such transport process we perform column and sandbox experiments.

Our recently developed column and sandbox experiments are used to perform multiple tracer tests during clogging. In a first set of experiments, a cubic cell of 0.1 m x 0.1 m x 0.1 m is used to experimentally estimate flow and transport characteristics of an unconsolidated sediment through Darcy and tracer experiments. The water streaming through the experiment is amended with ammonium sulfate permanently. Salt tracers are added to the streaming water repeatedly, to be detected at micro electrodes at the inflow and the outflow of the cubic cell. Through repeated syringe injections of a barium chloride solution into the center of the cubic cell clogging processes are forced to occur around the mixing zone of the injected and streaming water by precipitation of barium sulfate. In a second set of experiments, a sandbox model including a sediment body of 0.3 m x 0.3 m x 0.1 m is used. Tracer, streaming, and injection water chemistry is kept similar to the cubic cell experiments. However, tracer breakthrough is now detected at nine positions within the experiment and at the inflow and the outflow of the sandbox model. Injection of barium chloride solution is now at two locations around the center of the sandbox model. Flow and transport characteristics of the sediment body are estimated based on Darcy and tracer experiments, which are performed repeatedly. Combined analysis of local and ensemble breakthrough curves and integrated numerical modeling will be used to understand effective and local flow and transport in a in a porous medium during clogging.