Mobilization of NAPL ganglia due to dissolution: Effect on modeling

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:585769

Baldwin, C A ^[1]

---

1. Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

The contamination of groundwater from Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs) poses a serious threat to those who consume it. After a spill or leakage, NAPLs become trapped as small, discrete ganglia which dissolve over time, contaminating water flowing through the region. Models of NAPL dissolution have failed to provide a predictive representation of real spills. One very common simplification made in one-dimensional dissolution models is that ganglia are stationary throughout the dissolution process. This assumption is typically justified by arguing that the pressure gradients across the length of any ganglion are not great enough for its displacement. A recent experiment using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to image ganglion structure during a dissolution experiment showed that substantial displacement occurred at pressures well below those normally thought to induce motion. Typically, this displacement was seen early in the dissolution process, and it has been hypothesized that displacement can be attributed to mechanical instabilities which arise as a ganglion loses volume. This work discusses the evidence for dissolution-induced displacement and its implications for modeling efforts.

• OSTI ID: 585769
• Report Number(s): CONF-9705104--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DISSOLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GROUND WATER
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
WATER POLLUTION