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Title: An analysis of solute diffusion in the Culebra Dolomite

Abstract

The diffusion of unreactive solutes through the Culebra Dolomite was studied experimentally and theoretically. The measured diffusive flux is less than that predicted from independent knowledge of the porosity and reasonable estimates of tortuosity. This low measured flux led to a review of the relationship between solute diffusion and pore geometry in rocks and sediments. Solute transport in hypothetical pore networks, where the effect of pore geometry on the solute flux is directly calculable, is examined. A conventional interpretation of pore tortuosity, as a normalized length of diffusion through a pore, loses meaning for cases where pores intersect in networks. Some important variables affecting the tortuosity are: (1) the distribution of pore sizes (2) the distribution of pore lengths, (3) the number of pores which intersect at a node, and (4) the pore shape between nodes. Furthermore, in porous materials with a preferential distribution of pore sizes and orientation, tortuosity is a tensor. For the Culebra Dolomite, the wide range of pore sizes causes the diffusive flux to vary considerably from that predicted from conventional theory. These results indicate that diffusive fluxes from fractures into rock pores may be smaller than previously thought. 35 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE/ER
OSTI Identifier:
5603465
Report Number(s):
SAND-89-0750
ON: DE90000900
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-76DP00789
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; DOLOMITE; DIFFUSION; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; FRACTURES; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; POROSITY; RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION; SOLUTES; TRACER TECHNIQUES; ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS; CALCIUM CARBONATES; CALCIUM COMPOUNDS; CARBON COMPOUNDS; CARBONATE MINERALS; CARBONATES; FAILURES; ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS; MAGNESIUM CARBONATES; MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS; MASS TRANSFER; MINERALS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; 510200* - Environment, Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989); 360603 - Materials- Properties

Citation Formats

Dykhuizen, R. C., and Casey, W. H. An analysis of solute diffusion in the Culebra Dolomite. United States: N. p., 1989. Web. doi:10.2172/5603465.
Dykhuizen, R. C., & Casey, W. H. An analysis of solute diffusion in the Culebra Dolomite. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5603465
Dykhuizen, R. C., and Casey, W. H. 1989. "An analysis of solute diffusion in the Culebra Dolomite". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5603465. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5603465.
@article{osti_5603465,
title = {An analysis of solute diffusion in the Culebra Dolomite},
author = {Dykhuizen, R. C. and Casey, W. H.},
abstractNote = {The diffusion of unreactive solutes through the Culebra Dolomite was studied experimentally and theoretically. The measured diffusive flux is less than that predicted from independent knowledge of the porosity and reasonable estimates of tortuosity. This low measured flux led to a review of the relationship between solute diffusion and pore geometry in rocks and sediments. Solute transport in hypothetical pore networks, where the effect of pore geometry on the solute flux is directly calculable, is examined. A conventional interpretation of pore tortuosity, as a normalized length of diffusion through a pore, loses meaning for cases where pores intersect in networks. Some important variables affecting the tortuosity are: (1) the distribution of pore sizes (2) the distribution of pore lengths, (3) the number of pores which intersect at a node, and (4) the pore shape between nodes. Furthermore, in porous materials with a preferential distribution of pore sizes and orientation, tortuosity is a tensor. For the Culebra Dolomite, the wide range of pore sizes causes the diffusive flux to vary considerably from that predicted from conventional theory. These results indicate that diffusive fluxes from fractures into rock pores may be smaller than previously thought. 35 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs.},
doi = {10.2172/5603465},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5603465}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989},
month = {Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989}
}