An analytical model for the interpretation of pulse injection experiments performed for testing the spatial variability of clay formations

TY - JOUR

T1 - An analytical model for the interpretation of pulse injection experiments performed for testing the spatial variability of clay formations

AU - Aertsens, Marc

AU - Put, Martin

AU - Dierckx, Ann

PY - 2003/3

Y1 - 2003/3

N2 - This paper presents an analytical model to describe pulse injection experiments. This model solves the advection–diffusion equation while taking into account back diffusion from the clay core to the inlet and from the outlet to the clay core. In most analytical models, back diffusion is neglected. For sufficiently high Pe´clet numbers, this is a good approximation. However, in experiments where the Pe´clet number is low, back diffusion is important and must be taken intoaccount. An additional advantage of the present model is that both concentration and flux are conserved at the inlet and at the outlet of the clay core. This model is used to fit pulse injection experiments with iodide and tritiated water (HTO) in clay cores. The (new) model is required for fitting the experimental results since in clay layers advection is very slow leading to a low Pe´clet number. The experiments are performed on clay cores taken fromdifferent depths from the Boom Clay and the Ypres Clay layer under the site of the nuclear power plant of Doel (Belgium). The quality of all fits is excellent and the obtained parameter values are coherent. For HTO, the fitted value for the diffusion accessible porosity is consistent with measurements of the water content in Ypres Clay cores. In both types of clays, the apparent diffusioncoefficient at zero flow is between 10 10 and 210 10 m2/s for iodide and between 210 10 and 310 10 m2/s for HTO. The dispersion length is in the order of 10 3 m. The average value for the diffusion accessible porosity is between 0.35 and 0.4 for HTO and between 0.2 and 0.25 for iodide

AB - This paper presents an analytical model to describe pulse injection experiments. This model solves the advection–diffusion equation while taking into account back diffusion from the clay core to the inlet and from the outlet to the clay core. In most analytical models, back diffusion is neglected. For sufficiently high Pe´clet numbers, this is a good approximation. However, in experiments where the Pe´clet number is low, back diffusion is important and must be taken intoaccount. An additional advantage of the present model is that both concentration and flux are conserved at the inlet and at the outlet of the clay core. This model is used to fit pulse injection experiments with iodide and tritiated water (HTO) in clay cores. The (new) model is required for fitting the experimental results since in clay layers advection is very slow leading to a low Pe´clet number. The experiments are performed on clay cores taken fromdifferent depths from the Boom Clay and the Ypres Clay layer under the site of the nuclear power plant of Doel (Belgium). The quality of all fits is excellent and the obtained parameter values are coherent. For HTO, the fitted value for the diffusion accessible porosity is consistent with measurements of the water content in Ypres Clay cores. In both types of clays, the apparent diffusioncoefficient at zero flow is between 10 10 and 210 10 m2/s for iodide and between 210 10 and 310 10 m2/s for HTO. The dispersion length is in the order of 10 3 m. The average value for the diffusion accessible porosity is between 0.35 and 0.4 for HTO and between 0.2 and 0.25 for iodide

KW - Analytical model

KW - Pulse injection experiment

KW - Advection – diffusion equation

KW - Radioactive waste management

KW - Hydraulic conductivity

KW - Diffusion accessible porosity

KW - Boom Clay

KW - Ypres Clay

UR - https://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll?func=ll&objaction=overview&objid=32814642

U2 - 10.1016/S0169-7722(02)00118-3

DO - 10.1016/S0169-7722(02)00118-3

M3 - Article

VL - 62

SP - 423

EP - 436

JO - Journal of Contaminant Hydrology

JF - Journal of Contaminant Hydrology

SN - 0169-7722

ER -