Fluid Inertia Controls Mineral Precipitation and Clogging in Pore to Network-Scale Flows

Fluid Inertia Controls Mineral Precipitation and Clogging in Pore to Network-Scale Flows

Weipeng Yanga, Michael A. Chena,, Sang Hyun Leea, Peter K. Kang

Mineral precipitation caused by fluid mixing presents complex control and predictability challenges in a variety of natural and engineering processes, including carbon mineralization, geothermal energy, and microfluidics. Precipitation dynamics, particularly under the influence of fluid flow, remain poorly understood. Combining microfluidic experiments and three-dimensional reactive transport simulations, we demonstrate that fluid inertia controls mineral precipitation and clogging at flow intersections, even in laminar flows. We demonstrate that the identified inertial effects on precipitation at the intersection scale are also present and even more dramatic at the network scale.

PNAS 121, e2401318121 (2024)
Corresponding Author: Peter K Kang

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