Nonuniqueness of Hydrodynamic Dispersion Revealed Using Fast 4D Synchrotron X-Ray Imaging

Nonuniqueness of Hydrodynamic Dispersion Revealed Using Fast 4D Synchrotron X-Ray Imaging

Yongqiang Chen, Holger Steeb, Hamidreza Erfani, Nikolaos K. Karadimitriou, Monika S. Walczak, Matthias Ruf, Dongwon Lee, Senyou An, Sharul Hasan, Thomas Connolley, Nghia T. Vo, Vahid Niasar

Experimental and field studies reported a significant discrepancy between the cleanup and contamination time scales, while its cause is not yet addressed. Using high-resolution fast synchrotron x-ray computed tomography, we characterized the solute transport in a fully saturated sand packing for both contamination and cleanup processes at similar hydrodynamic conditions. The discrepancy in the time scales has been demonstrated by the nonuniqueness of hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient versus injection rate (Péclet number). This nonuniqueness has been attributed to the concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient during the cocurrent and countercurrent advection and diffusion, present in contamination and cleanup processes.

Science Advances 7 (52)
Corresponding Authors: Vahid Niasar

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