An Improvement to DCPT: The Particle Transfer Probability as a Function of Particle's Age

Technical Report · Mon Jun 04 04:00:00 EDT 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/787039· OSTI ID:787039

Pan, L; Bodvarsson, G S

Multi-scale features of transport processes in fractured porous media make numerical modeling a difficult task of both conceptualization and computation. Dual-continuum particle tracker (DCPT) is an attractive method for modeling large-scale problems typically encountered in the field, such as those in unsaturated zone (UZ) of Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The major advantage is its capability to capture the major features of flow and transport in fractured porous rock (i-e., a fast fracture sub-system combined with a slow matrix sub-system) with reasonable computational resources. However, like other conventional dual-continuum approach-based numerical methods, DCPT (v1.0) is often criticized for failing to capture the transient features of the diffusion depth into the matrix. It may overestimate the transport of tracers through the fractures, especially for the cases with large fracture spacing, and predict artificial early breakthroughs. The objective of this study is to develop a new theory for calculating the particle transfer probability to captures the transient features of the diffusion depth into the matrix within the framework of the dual-continuum random walk particle method (RWPM).

• Research Organization: Yucca Mountain Project, Las Vegas, Nevada (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• OSTI ID: 787039
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
DIFFUSION
FRACTURES
PROBABILITY
SIMULATION
TRANSIENTS
TRANSPORT
YUCCA MOUNTAIN