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Using the Dusty Gas Model to investigate reaction-induced multicomponent gas and solute transport in the vadose zone

University of British Columbia

Biogeochemical reactions and vadose zone transport, in particular gas phasetransport, are inherently coupled processes. To explore feedback mechanisms between these processes in a quantitative manner, multicomponent gas diffusion and advection are implemented into an existing reactive transport model that includes a full suite of geochemical reactions. Multicomponent gas diffusion is described based on the Dusty Gas Model, which provides the most generally applicable description for gas diffusion.Gas advection is described by Darcy's Law, which in the current formulation, is directly substituted into the transport equations. The model is used to investigate the interactions between geochemical reactions and transport processes with an emphasis to quantify reaction-induced gas migration in the vadose zone. Simulations of pyrite oxidation in mine tailings, gas attenuation in partially saturated landfill soil covers, and methane production and oxidation in aquifers contaminated by organic compounds demonstrate how biogeochemical reactions drive diffusive and advective transport of reactive and non-reactive gases. Pyrite oxidation in mine tailings causes a pressure reduction in the reaction zone and drives advective gas flow into the sediment column, enhancing the oxidation process. Release of carbondioxide by carbonate mineral dissolution partly offsets pressure reduction, and illustrates the role of water-rock interaction on gas transport. Microbially mediated methane oxidation in landfill covers reduces the existing upward pressure gradient, there by decreasing the contribution of advective methane emissions to the atmosphere and enhancing the net flux of atmospheric oxygen into the soil column. At an oil spill site, both generation of CH⁴ in the methanogenic zone and oxidation of CH⁴ in the methanotrophic zone contribute to drive advective and diffusive fluxes. The model confirmed that non-reactive gases tend to accumulate in zones of gas consumption and become depleted in zones of gas production. In most cases, the model was able to quantify existing conceptual models, but also proved useful to identify data gaps, sensitivity, and inconsistencies in conceptual models. The formulation of the model is general and can be applied to other vadose zone systems in which reaction-induced gas transport is of importance.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2008-09-05

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/1631

Geological Sciences

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/