Application of the Stefan-Maxwell equations to determine limitations of Fick's Law when modeling organic vapor transport in sand columns

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Water Resources Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/WR026i006p01155· OSTI ID:5465026

Baehr, A L ^[1]; Bruell, C J ^[2]

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1. Geological Survey, West Trenton, NY (USA)
2. Univ. of Lowell, MA (USA)

The organic component of the vapor phase of a porous medium contaminated by an immiscible organic liquid can be significant enough to violate the condition of a dilute species diffusing in a bulk phase assumed by Fick's Law. The Stefan-Maxwell equations provide a more comprehensive model for quantifying steady state transport for a vapor phase composed of arbitrary proportions of its constituents. The application of both types of models to the analysis of column experiments demonstrates that use of a Fickian-based transport model can lead to significant overestimates of soil tortuosity constants. Further, the physical displacement of naturally occurring gases (e.g., O{sub 2}), predicted by the Stefan-Maxwell model but not by application of Fick's Law, can be attributed improperly to a sink term such as microbial degradation in a Fickian-based transport model.

• OSTI ID: 5465026
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research; (United States), Vol. 26:6; ISSN 0043-1397
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SAND
FICK LAWS
MAXWELL EQUATIONS
SOILS
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
VOLATILE MATTER
WATER POLLUTION
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
MASS TRANSFER
MATTER
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
POLLUTION
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)