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Title: The influence of interfacial properties on two-phase liquid flow of organic contaminants in groundwater. Progress report, September 1, 1993--August 31, 1994

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10168155· OSTI ID:10168155

Wettability is sometimes described as the most important factor influencing two-phase flow in porous media. A groundwater aquifer is often thought of as water-wet. But that state, in reality, depends on the nature of the aquifer solids, the composition of the groundwater and the properties of the organic liquid contaminant. The primary purpose of the research conducted here is to examine quantitatively the impact on wettability of a range of factors which may be critical at actual DOE waste sites. The goal is to understand how sorption at the various interfaces of the system modifies interfacial properties, primarily wettability, and then how, in turn, wettability determines the soil transport property of capillary pressure as a function of saturation. Specifically, this research seeks to (1) determine the range of wettability changes that may occur for DOE waste sites using wettability measures suitable for complex systems, (2) establish a correlation between these alternate measures of wettability and the contact angle, (3) establish the mechanism by which metals, organic solutes and soil particle coatings impact wettability, (4) evaluate whether the methodology developed in previous project periods among sorption, contact angle, and capillary pressure can be extended to more complex systems.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-89ER60820
OSTI ID:
10168155
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/60820-5; ON: DE94015518; BR: KP0203000
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Apr 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English