Simulation of surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Water Resources Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/94WR01458· OSTI ID:41797

Brown, C L; Pope, G A; Sepehrnoori, K ^[1]; Abriola, L M ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
2. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

This paper demonstrates that surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR) can be modeled in two and three dimensions using a finite-difference simulator and incorporating realistic heterogenieties in aquifer properties and complex surfactant chemistry based upon a multicomponent, multiphase compositional description of the experimental chemistry. The presented simulations provide significant new insights into the SEAR process. The effectiveness of SEAR is sensitive to many variables including the initial infiltration rate of DNAPL, the natural hydraulic gradient, well locations, well pumping and injection rates, aquifer heterogenieties, and properties such as cappillary pressure, relative permeability, and surfactant chemistry. In this paper a comprehensive model for SEAR is presented and applied to explore the potential performance of this technology on an aquifer scale. This study illustrates the value of modeling in SEAR design, how this modeling can be accomplished, what information is necessary, and what kinds of results modeling can be expected to produce.

• OSTI ID: 41797
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research, Journal Name: Water Resources Research Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 30; ISSN WRERAQ; ISSN 0043-1397
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
AQUIFERS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MULTIPHASE FLOW
NONAQUEOUS SOLVENTS
REMEDIAL ACTION
SIMULATION
SURFACTANTS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS