Small scale laboratory studies of flow and transport phenomena in pores and fractures: Phase II. Progress report, 3rd year continuation proposal, and work plan
Small scale laboratory experiments, equipped with an ability to actually observe behavior on the pore level using microscopy, provide an economical and easily understood scientific tool to help us validate concepts and assumptions about the transport of contaminants, and offers the propensity to discover heretofore unrecognized phenomena or behavior. The main technique employs etched glass micromodels, composed of two etched glass plates, sintered together, to form a two dimensional network of three dimensional pores. Flow and transport behavior is observed on a pore or pore network level, and recorder on film and video tape. This technique is coupled with related column studies. These techniques have been used to study multiphase flow, colloid transport and most recently bacteria transport. The project has recently moved to the Bacteria Transport Subprogram, and efforts have been redirected to support that Subprogram and its collaborative field experiment. We proposed to study bacteria transport factors of relevance to the field experiment, using micromodels and other laboratory techniques. Factors that may be addressed include bacteria characteristics (eg, hydrophobicity), pore size and shape, permeability heterogeneity, surface chemistry (eg, iron oxide coatings), surface chemistry heterogeneity, active versus resting cell bacteria, and mixed bacteria populations. In other work we will continue to examine the effects of fluid-fluid interfaces on bacteria transport, and develop a new assay for bacteria hydrophobicity. Finally we will collaborate on characterization of the field site, and the design, operation, and interpretation of the field experiment.
- Research Organization:
- New Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG03-92ER61484
- OSTI ID:
- 10175508
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/61484--08; ON: DE94017149
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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