We investigate the physics, chemistry, and techno-economics of CO2 storage underground

Our research includes exploring fundamental pore scale fluid dynamics, developing digital rocks analysis techniques, increasing the accuracy of field scale reservoir simulation, and evaluating the feasibility of scaling up CO2 storage to climate relevant scales.

Our Research Projects

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StrataTrapper Advanced Modelling of CO2 Migration and Trapping

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THMC4CCS: ThorougH experiMental and numerical investigation of Coupled processes for geologiC Carbon ‎Storage

Royal Academy of Engineering Senior Research Fellowship

ExpReCCS: Expansion of ResourCes for CO2 Storage on the Horda Platform

inFUSE Prosperity Partnership

Shell Digital Rocks Laboratory

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Kirby:2020:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124375,
author = {Kirby, ME and Watson, JS and Najorka, J and Louvane, Kenney JP and Krevor, S and Weiss, DJ},
doi = {10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124375},
journal = {Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects},
pages = {1--11},
title = {Experimental study of pH effect on uranium (UVI) particle formation and transport through quartz sand in alkaline 0.1 M sodium chloride solutions},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124375},
volume = {592},
year = {2020}
}
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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - A thorough understanding of the aqueous uranium VI (UVI) chemistry in alkaline, sodium containing solutions is imperative to address a wide range of critical challenges in environmental engineering, including nuclear waste management. The aim of the present study was to characterise experimentally in more detail the control of pH on the removal of UVI from aqueous alkaline solutions through particle formation and on subsequent transport through porous media. We conducted first static batch experiments in the pH range between 10.5 and 12.5 containing 10ppm UVI in 0.1M NaCl solutions and examined the particles formed using filtration, dynamic light scattering, transition electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. We found that at pH 10.5 and 11.5, between 75 and 96 % of UVI was removed from the solutions as clarkeite and studtite over a period of 48h, forming particles with hydrodynamic diameters of 640±111nm and 837±142nm, respectively and representing aggregates of 10′s nm sized crystals randomly orientated. At pH12.5, the formation of particles >0.2μm became insignificant and no UVI was removed from solution. The mobility of UVI in these solutions was further studied using column experiments through quartz sand. We found that at pH 10.5 and 11.5, UVI containing particles were immobilised near the column inlet, likely due physical immobilisation of the particles (particle straining). At pH12.5, however, UVI quantitatively eluted from the columns in the filter fraction <0.2μm. The findings of our study reinforce a strong control of solution pH on particle size and U removal in alkaline solutions and subsequently on mobility of U through quartz porous media.
AU  - Kirby,ME
AU  - Watson,JS
AU  - Najorka,J
AU  - Louvane,Kenney JP
AU  - Krevor,S
AU  - Weiss,DJ
DO  - 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124375
EP  - 11
PY  - 2020///
SN  - 0927-7757
SP  - 1
TI  - Experimental study of pH effect on uranium (UVI) particle formation and transport through quartz sand in alkaline 0.1 M sodium chloride solutions
T2  - Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124375
UR  - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0927775719313731?via%3Dihub
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/77652
VL  - 592
ER  -
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