Determination of mineral dissolution regimes using flow-through time-resolved analysis (FT-TRA) and numerical simulation
Journal Article
·
· Chemical Geology
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Flow-through time resolved analysis (FT-TRA) involves subjecting small mineral samples (< 10 mg) inserted in a miniature flow-through cell (50 μL) to controlled flows of eluent analyzed on-line by ICP-MS. In this study, FT-TRA is used to empirically determine the dissolution regimes for the two well-studied minerals forsterite and calcite, representing minerals with relatively slow and fast dissolution kinetics. A proportional increase in steady-state effluent [Mg, Si] concentrations with increasing flow-through cell eluent residence times confirms a dominantly surface-controlled dissolution regime for a powdered forsterite sample at pH 2.3, implying that transport limitations are negligible. In contrast, the relationship between flow rates and dissolution rates for single grain calcite samples at pH 2.3-4 reveals that transport limitations affect the rate of calcite dissolution. In order to provide a quantitative and process-based assessment of the effect of diffusive transport limitations, simulations of the calcite experiments were performed with a high resolution, pore-scale model that considers the geometry of the calcite grain and the FT-TRA flow-through reactor. The pore-scale model reproduces the observed effluent [Ca] concentrations for all experimental conditions using a single set of surface kinetic parameters, by accounting for the formation of a diffusive boundary layer (DBL) that varies in thickness as a function of flow rates. These results demonstrate that combining FT-TRA with pore-scale modeling makes it possible to obtain unprecedented insights not achievable by either method separately, including quantification of DBL thicknesses and the determination of transport controls as a function of pH, flow velocity and residence times.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 1474951
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1358933
- Journal Information:
- Chemical Geology, Journal Name: Chemical Geology Journal Issue: C Vol. 430; ISSN 0009-2541
- Publisher:
- ElsevierCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Mineralogical and transport controls on the evolution of porous media texture using direct numerical simulation
An investigation of the effect of pore scale flow on average geochemical reaction rates using direct numerical simulation
Experimental modeling of reaction-front evolution in ferric-calcareous sand columns
Journal Article
·
Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017
· Water Resources Research
·
OSTI ID:1476493
An investigation of the effect of pore scale flow on average geochemical reaction rates using direct numerical simulation
Journal Article
·
Fri Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2012
· Water Resources Research
·
OSTI ID:1082190
Experimental modeling of reaction-front evolution in ferric-calcareous sand columns
Conference
·
Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1991
· Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5763961