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Effect of nonlinear flow on DNAPL migration in a rough‐walled fracture
Author(s) -
Ji SungHoon,
Lee HangBok,
Yeo In Wook,
Lee KangKun
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/2007wr006712
Subject(s) - groundwater flow , groundwater , percolation (cognitive psychology) , reynolds number , flow (mathematics) , fracture (geology) , geology , geotechnical engineering , nonlinear system , mechanics , inertia , hydraulic conductivity , soil science , aquifer , turbulence , physics , quantum mechanics , classical mechanics , neuroscience , soil water , biology
Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of the groundwater flow regime on dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) migration in a rough‐walled fracture. Hydraulic and DNAPL migration experiments were performed at Reynolds numbers ranging from 0 to 60.8. Nonlinear groundwater flow occurred in the fracture from Reynolds number of approximately 10. Different migration paths taken by DNAPL were observed between linear and nonlinear flow regimes. Experiments were quantitatively analyzed using the modified invasion percolation (MIP) model, which was found to be attributed to the inertial force of flowing groundwater. The MIP model was reformulated to incorporate the effect of inertia to predict the DNAPL migration path in a rough‐walled fracture. The model data provided a good match to the experimentally determined DNAPL migration. The studies indicated that DNAPL migration depended on the groundwater flow regime, which needs to be considered in order to better understand DNAPL migration in rock fractures.