Publications
4 results found
Kurotori T, Zahasky C, Benson S, et al., 2020, Description of chemical transport in laboratory rock cores using the continuous random walk formalism, Water Resources Research, Vol: 56, ISSN: 0043-1397
We investigate chemical transport in laboratory rock cores using unidirectional pulse tracer experiments. Breakthrough curves (BTCs) measured at various flow rates in one sandstone and twocarbonate samples are interpreted using the one-dimensional Continuous Time Random Walk (CTRW) formulation with a truncated power law (TPL) model. Within the same framework, we evaluate additionalmemory functions to consider the Advection-Dispersion Equation (ADE) and its extension to describe mass exchange between mobile and immobile solute phases (Single-Rate Mass Transfer model, SRMT). Toprovide physical constraints to the models, parameters are identified that do not depend on the flow rate. While the ADE fails systematically at describing the effluent profiles for the carbonates, the SRMT andTPL formulations provide excellent fits to the measurements. They both yield a linear correlation between the dispersion coefficient and the Péclet number (DL Pe for 10 < (Pe) < 100), and the longitudinal dispersivity is found to be significantly larger than the equivalent grain diameter, De. The BTCs of the carbonate rocks show clear signs of nonequilibrium effects. While the SRMT model explicitly accounts for the presence of microporous regions (up to 30% of the total pore space), in the TPL formulation the time scales of both advective and diffusive processes (t1(Pe) and t2) are associated with two characteristic heterogeneity length scales (d and l, respectively). We observed that l 2.5 × De and that anomalous transport arises when ld (1). In this context, the SRMT and TPL formulations provide consistent, yet complementary, insight into the nature of anomalous transport in laboratory rock cores.
Wenning QC, Madonna C, Kurotori T, et al., 2019, Spatial mapping of fracture aperture changes with shear displacement using X-ray computerized tomography, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Vol: 124, Pages: 7320-7340, ISSN: 2169-9313
The shearing of fractures can be a significant source of permeability change by altering the distribution of void space within the fracture itself. Common methods to estimate the effects of shearing on properties, such as aperture, roughness, and connectivity are incapable of providing these observations in‐situ. Laboratory protocols are needed that enable measurements of the spatial structure of the fracture aperture field in the medium, non‐invasively. Here, we investigate changes in rough‐walled Brazilian‐induced tensile fracture aperture distribution with progressive shear displacement in Westerly granite and Carrara marble using a novel X‐ray transparent core‐holder. The so‐called calibration‐free missing attenuation method is applied to reconstruct highly‐resolved (sub‐millimeter) fracture aperture maps as a function of displacement (0 to 5.75 mm) in induced fractures. We observe that shearing increases the core‐averaged fracture aperture and significantly broadens the distribution of local values, mostly towards higher apertures. These effects are particularly strong in Westerly granite and may be the result of the higher initial roughness of its fracture surfaces. Also, while the correlation length of the aperture field increases in both parallel and perpendicular directions, significant anisotropy is developed in both samples with the progression of shearing. The results on Westerly granite provide a direct indication that fracture aperture remains largely unaffected until 1~mm of displacement is achieved, which is important when estimating permeability enhancement due to natural and induced shear displacement in faults.
Zahasky C, Kurotori T, Pini R, et al., 2019, Positron emission tomography in water resources and subsurface energy resources engineering research, Advances in Water Resources, Vol: 127, Pages: 39-52, ISSN: 0309-1708
Recent studies have demonstrated that positron emission tomography (PET) is a valuable tool for in-situ characterization of fluid transport in porous and fractured geologic media at the laboratory scale. While PET imaging is routinely used for clinical cancer diagnosis and preclinical medical research—and therefore imaging facilities are available at most research institutes—widespread adoption for applications in water resources and subsurface energy resources engineering have been limited by real and perceived challenges of working with this technique. In this study we discuss and address these challenges, and provide detailed analysis highlighting how positron emission tomography can complement and improve laboratory characterization of different subsurface fluid transport problems. The physics of PET are reviewed to provide a fundamental understanding of the sources of noise, resolution limits, and safety considerations. We then layout the methodology required to perform laboratory experiments imaged with PET, including a new protocol for radioactivity dosing optimization for imaging in geologic materials. Signal-to-noise and sensitivity analysis comparisons between PET and clinical X-ray computed tomography are performed to highlight how PET data can complement more traditional characterization methods, particularly for solute transport problems. Finally, prior work is critically reviewed and discussed to provide a better understanding of the strengths and weakness of PET and how to best utilize PET-derived data for future studies.
Kurotori T, Zahasky C, Hosseinzadeh Hejazi SA, et al., 2019, Measuring, imaging and modelling solute transport in a microporous limestone, Chemical Engineering Science, Vol: 196, Pages: 366-383, ISSN: 1873-4405
The analysis of dispersive flows in heterogeneous porous media is complicated by the appearance of anomalous transport. Novel laboratory protocols are needed to probe the mixing process by measuring the spatial structure of the concentration field in the medium. Here, we report on a systematic investigation of miscible displacements in a microporous limestone over the range of Péclet numbers, . Our approach combines pulse-tracer tests with the simultaneous imaging of the flow by Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Validation of the experimental protocol is achieved by means of control experiments on random beadpacks, as well as by comparing observations with both brine- and radio-tracers (labelled with 11C or 18F). The application of residence time distribution functions reveals mass transport limitations in the porous rock in the form of a characteristic flow-rate effect. Two transport models, namely the Advection Dispersion Equation (ADE) and the Multi-Rate Mass Transfer (MRMT) model, are thoroughly evaluated with both the experimental breakthrough curves and the internal concentration profiles. We observe that the dispersion coefficient scales linearly with the Péclet number for both porous systems. The tracer profiles acquired on the rock sample are successfully described upon application of the MRMT model that uses two representative grain sizes and a fraction of intra-granular pore space that is independent of the fluid velocity. The analysis of the PET images evidences the presence of macrodispersive spreading caused by subcore-scale heterogeneities, which contribute significantly to the value of the estimated core-scale dispersivity. This effect can be significantly reduced upon application of the ‘dispersion-echo’ technique, which enables decoupling the effects of spreading and mixing in heterogeneous porous media. These observations are likely to apply to any laboratory-scale rock sample and the approach presented here provides a
This data is extracted from the Web of Science and reproduced under a licence from Thomson Reuters. You may not copy or re-distribute this data in whole or in part without the written consent of the Science business of Thomson Reuters.