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Title: Utility of Bromide and Heat Tracers for Aquifer Characterization Affected by Highly Transient Flow Conditions

Abstract

A tracer test using both bromide and heat tracers conducted at the Integrated Field Research Challenge site in Hanford 300 Area (300A), Washington, provided an instrument for evaluating the utility of bromide and heat tracers for aquifer characterization. The bromide tracer data were critical to improving the calibration of the flow model complicated by the highly dynamic nature of the flow field. However, most bromide concentrations were obtained from fully screened observation wells, lacking depth-specific resolution for vertical characterization. On the other hand, depth-specific temperature data were relatively simple and inexpensive to acquire. However, temperature-driven fluid density effects influenced heat plume movement. Moreover, the temperature data contained “noise” caused by heating during fluid injection and sampling events. Using the hydraulic conductivity distribution obtained from the calibration of the bromide transport model, the temperature depth profiles and arrival times of temperature peaks simulated by the heat transport model were in reasonable agreement with observations. This suggested that heat can be used as a cost-effective proxy for solute tracers for calibration of the hydraulic conductivity distribution, especially in the vertical direction. However, a heat tracer test must be carefully designed and executed to minimize fluid density effects and sources of noise inmore » temperature data. A sensitivity analysis also revealed that heat transport was most sensitive to hydraulic conductivity and porosity, less sensitive to thermal distribution factor, and least sensitive to thermal dispersion and heat conduction. This indicated that the hydraulic conductivity remains the primary calibration parameter for heat transport.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1054841
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-91357
KP1702030
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Water Resources Research, 48(W08523 )
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Water Resources Research, 48(W08523 )
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Ma, Rui, Zheng, Chunmiao, Zachara, John M, and Tonkin, Matthew J. Utility of Bromide and Heat Tracers for Aquifer Characterization Affected by Highly Transient Flow Conditions. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1029/2011WR011281.
Ma, Rui, Zheng, Chunmiao, Zachara, John M, & Tonkin, Matthew J. Utility of Bromide and Heat Tracers for Aquifer Characterization Affected by Highly Transient Flow Conditions. United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011WR011281
Ma, Rui, Zheng, Chunmiao, Zachara, John M, and Tonkin, Matthew J. 2012. "Utility of Bromide and Heat Tracers for Aquifer Characterization Affected by Highly Transient Flow Conditions". United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011WR011281.
@article{osti_1054841,
title = {Utility of Bromide and Heat Tracers for Aquifer Characterization Affected by Highly Transient Flow Conditions},
author = {Ma, Rui and Zheng, Chunmiao and Zachara, John M and Tonkin, Matthew J},
abstractNote = {A tracer test using both bromide and heat tracers conducted at the Integrated Field Research Challenge site in Hanford 300 Area (300A), Washington, provided an instrument for evaluating the utility of bromide and heat tracers for aquifer characterization. The bromide tracer data were critical to improving the calibration of the flow model complicated by the highly dynamic nature of the flow field. However, most bromide concentrations were obtained from fully screened observation wells, lacking depth-specific resolution for vertical characterization. On the other hand, depth-specific temperature data were relatively simple and inexpensive to acquire. However, temperature-driven fluid density effects influenced heat plume movement. Moreover, the temperature data contained “noise” caused by heating during fluid injection and sampling events. Using the hydraulic conductivity distribution obtained from the calibration of the bromide transport model, the temperature depth profiles and arrival times of temperature peaks simulated by the heat transport model were in reasonable agreement with observations. This suggested that heat can be used as a cost-effective proxy for solute tracers for calibration of the hydraulic conductivity distribution, especially in the vertical direction. However, a heat tracer test must be carefully designed and executed to minimize fluid density effects and sources of noise in temperature data. A sensitivity analysis also revealed that heat transport was most sensitive to hydraulic conductivity and porosity, less sensitive to thermal distribution factor, and least sensitive to thermal dispersion and heat conduction. This indicated that the hydraulic conductivity remains the primary calibration parameter for heat transport.},
doi = {10.1029/2011WR011281},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1054841}, journal = {Water Resources Research, 48(W08523 )},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Wed Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}