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Modeling surfactant-enhanced nonaqueous-phase liquid remediation of porous media

Journal Article · · Soil Science
;  [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Technology Div.

A mathematical model is developed to investigate the main processes associated with surfactant-enhanced nonaqueous-phase liquid (NAPL) remediation of porous media. The model couples four nonlinear mass balance conservation equations (i.e., water, NAPL-phase organic, aqueous-phase organic, and aqueous-phase surfactant) that incorporate aqueous- and NAPL-phase migration and transport of aqueous-phase dissolved surfactant and organics. Rate-limited solubilization of the organic into the aqueous phase is represented by a linear driving force expression and is dependent on the surfactant-enhanced equilibrium concentration. Surfactant-enhanced mobilization of the NAPL phase is incorporated using surfactant concentration-dependent interfacial tension lowering, scaled relative permeability-saturation-capillary pressure relations, and trapping number-dependent effective residual saturations for the nonwetting liquid. Sorption of surfactant is assumed to conform to a Langmuir isotherm model, whereas organic sorption is modeled using a linear isotherm with a surfactant and soil-organic content-dependent retardation coefficient. The model is used to simulate experiments described by Pennel et al. (1996) in which the NAPL perchloroethylene was flushed from sand columns using different surfactant solutions.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
305441
Journal Information:
Soil Science, Journal Name: Soil Science Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 163; ISSN 0038-075X; ISSN SOSCAK
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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