Enhancing Groundwater Quality through Computational Modeling and Simulation to Optimize Transport and Interaction Parameters in Porous Media
Affiliation(s)
1 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA, USA. 2 Mathematical Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
1 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA, USA. 2 Mathematical Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
ABSTRACT
There is a shortage of high quality drinking water caused by the introduction of contaminants into aquifers from various sources including industrial processes and uncontrolled sewage. Studies have shown that colloids, collections of nanoparticles, have the potential to remediate polluted groundwater. For such applications of nanoparticles, it is important to understand the movement of colloids. This study aims to enhance the previously developed MNM1D (Micro- and Nanoparticle transport Model in porous media in one-dimensional geometry) by making more realistic assumptions about physical properties of the groundwater-porous medium system by accounting for a non-constant flow velocity and the presence of electromagnetic interactions. This was accomplished by coupling the original model with the Darcy-Forchheimer fluid model, which is specific to transport in porous media, coupled with electromagnetic effects. The resulting model also accounts for attachment and detachment phenomena, both of the linear and Langmuirian type, as well as changes to hydrochemical parameters such as maximum colloidal particle concentration in the porous medium. The system of partial-differential equations that make up the model was solved using an implicit finite-difference discretization along with the iterative Newton’s method. A parameter estimation study was also conducted to quantify parameters of interest. This more realistic model of colloid transport in porous media will contribute to the production of a more efficient method to counteract contaminants in groundwater and ultimately increase availability of clean drinking water.
There is a shortage of high quality drinking water caused by the introduction of contaminants into aquifers from various sources including industrial processes and uncontrolled sewage. Studies have shown that colloids, collections of nanoparticles, have the potential to remediate polluted groundwater. For such applications of nanoparticles, it is important to understand the movement of colloids. This study aims to enhance the previously developed MNM1D (Micro- and Nanoparticle transport Model in porous media in one-dimensional geometry) by making more realistic assumptions about physical properties of the groundwater-porous medium system by accounting for a non-constant flow velocity and the presence of electromagnetic interactions. This was accomplished by coupling the original model with the Darcy-Forchheimer fluid model, which is specific to transport in porous media, coupled with electromagnetic effects. The resulting model also accounts for attachment and detachment phenomena, both of the linear and Langmuirian type, as well as changes to hydrochemical parameters such as maximum colloidal particle concentration in the porous medium. The system of partial-differential equations that make up the model was solved using an implicit finite-difference discretization along with the iterative Newton’s method. A parameter estimation study was also conducted to quantify parameters of interest. This more realistic model of colloid transport in porous media will contribute to the production of a more efficient method to counteract contaminants in groundwater and ultimately increase availability of clean drinking water.
Cite this paper
Waghmare, A. and Seshaiyer, P. (2015) Enhancing Groundwater Quality through Computational Modeling and Simulation to Optimize Transport and Interaction Parameters in Porous Media. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 7, 398-409. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2015.75032.
Waghmare, A. and Seshaiyer, P. (2015) Enhancing Groundwater Quality through Computational Modeling and Simulation to Optimize Transport and Interaction Parameters in Porous Media. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 7, 398-409. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2015.75032.
References
[1] World Health Organization (2013) Progress on Sanitation and Drinking-Water: 2013 Update, Uniform Resource Locator. WHO Press, Geneva.
http://www.unicef.org/wash/files/JMP2013final_en.pdf [2] The Groundwater Foundation (n.d.) Potential Threats to Our Groundwater.
http://www.groundwater.org/get-informed/groundwater/contamination.html [3] Bahadur, R., Amstutz, D.E. and Samuels, W.B. (2013) Water Contamination Modeling—A Review of the State of the Science. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 5, 142-155.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2013.52016 [4] Li, X.-Q., Elliot, D.W. and Zhang, W.-X. (2006) Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles for Abatement of Environmental Pollutants: Materials and Engineering Aspects. Critical Reviews in Solid State and Materials Sciences, 31, 111-122.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10408430601057611 [5] Igboekwe, M.U. and Achi, N.J. (2011) Finite Difference Method of Modelling Groundwater Flow. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 3, 192-198.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2011.33025 [6] Shao, D.G., Yang, H.D. andLiu, B.Y. (2013) Identification of Water Quality Model Parameter Based on Finite Difference and Monte Carlo. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 5, 1165-1169.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2013.512123 [7] Simunek, J., van Genuchten, M.T. and Sejna, M. (2008) Development and Applications of the HYDRUS and STANMOD Software Packages and Related Codes. Vadose Zone Journal, 7, 587-600.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/vzj2007.0077 [8] Tosco, T., Tiraferri, A. and Sethi, R. (2009) Ionic Strength Dependent Transport of Microparticles in Saturated Porous Media: Modeling Mobilization and Immobilization Phenomena under Transient Chemical Conditions. Environmental Science & Technology, 43, 4425-4431.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es900245d [9] Tosco, T. and Sethi, R. (2009) MNM1D: A Numerical Code for Colloid Transport in Porous Media: Implementation and Validation. American Journal of Environmental Sciences, 5, 517-525.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2009.517.525 [10] Amao, A. M. (n.d.) Mathematical Model for Darcy Forchheimer Flow with Applications to Well Performance Analysis. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Texas Tech Univeristy, Lubbock. [11] Fourie, F.D. (2007) Limitations of the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski Equation in Electroseismics. 10th SAGA Biennial Technical Meeting and Exhibition, Wild Coast Sun, Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal, 15-18 October 2007. [12] Alley, W.M., Ed. (1993) Regional Ground-Water Quality. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. [13] Cameselle, C., Reddy, K.R., Darko-Kagya, K. and Khodadoust, A. (2013) Effect of Dispersant on Transport of Nanoscale Iron Particles in Soils: Zeta Potential Measurements and Column Experiments. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 139, 23-33.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000473 [14] Malama, B. (2012) Estimation of the Electrokinetic Coupling Coefficient and Hydraulic Conductivity from Streaming Potential Measurements in a Falling-Head Permeameter. NGWA Ground Water Summit, Garden Grove, 6-10 May 2012. [15] Naudet, V., Revil, A., Rizzo, E., Bottero, J.Y. and Bégassat, P. (2004) Groundwater Redox Conditions and Conductivity in a Contaminant Plume from Geoelectrical Investigations. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 8, 8-22.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-8-8-2004 [16] Engler, T. W. (2010) Part of Collection of Notes from the Petroleum Engineering 524 Class at New Mexico Tech. [17] Wallace, S.H., Shaw, S., Morris, K., Small, J.S., Fuller, A.J. and Burke, I.T. (2012) Effect of Groundwater pH and Ionic Strength on Strontium Sorption in Aquifer Sediments: Implications for 90Sr Mobility at Contaminated Nuclear Sites. Applied Geochemistry, 27, 1482-1491.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2012.04.007 [18] Krajangpan, S., Chisholm, B., Kalita, H. and Bezbaruah, A. (2009) Challenges in Groundwater Remediation with Iron Nanoparticles: Enabling Colloidal Stability. Nanotechnologies for Water Environment Applications, 191-212.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/9780784410301.ch08
[1] World Health Organization (2013) Progress on Sanitation and Drinking-Water: 2013 Update, Uniform Resource Locator. WHO Press, Geneva.
http://www.unicef.org/wash/files/JMP2013final_en.pdf [2] The Groundwater Foundation (n.d.) Potential Threats to Our Groundwater.
http://www.groundwater.org/get-informed/groundwater/contamination.html [3] Bahadur, R., Amstutz, D.E. and Samuels, W.B. (2013) Water Contamination Modeling—A Review of the State of the Science. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 5, 142-155.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2013.52016 [4] Li, X.-Q., Elliot, D.W. and Zhang, W.-X. (2006) Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles for Abatement of Environmental Pollutants: Materials and Engineering Aspects. Critical Reviews in Solid State and Materials Sciences, 31, 111-122.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10408430601057611 [5] Igboekwe, M.U. and Achi, N.J. (2011) Finite Difference Method of Modelling Groundwater Flow. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 3, 192-198.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2011.33025 [6] Shao, D.G., Yang, H.D. andLiu, B.Y. (2013) Identification of Water Quality Model Parameter Based on Finite Difference and Monte Carlo. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 5, 1165-1169.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2013.512123 [7] Simunek, J., van Genuchten, M.T. and Sejna, M. (2008) Development and Applications of the HYDRUS and STANMOD Software Packages and Related Codes. Vadose Zone Journal, 7, 587-600.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/vzj2007.0077 [8] Tosco, T., Tiraferri, A. and Sethi, R. (2009) Ionic Strength Dependent Transport of Microparticles in Saturated Porous Media: Modeling Mobilization and Immobilization Phenomena under Transient Chemical Conditions. Environmental Science & Technology, 43, 4425-4431.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es900245d [9] Tosco, T. and Sethi, R. (2009) MNM1D: A Numerical Code for Colloid Transport in Porous Media: Implementation and Validation. American Journal of Environmental Sciences, 5, 517-525.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3844/ajessp.2009.517.525 [10] Amao, A. M. (n.d.) Mathematical Model for Darcy Forchheimer Flow with Applications to Well Performance Analysis. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Texas Tech Univeristy, Lubbock. [11] Fourie, F.D. (2007) Limitations of the Helmholtz-Smoluchowski Equation in Electroseismics. 10th SAGA Biennial Technical Meeting and Exhibition, Wild Coast Sun, Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal, 15-18 October 2007. [12] Alley, W.M., Ed. (1993) Regional Ground-Water Quality. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. [13] Cameselle, C., Reddy, K.R., Darko-Kagya, K. and Khodadoust, A. (2013) Effect of Dispersant on Transport of Nanoscale Iron Particles in Soils: Zeta Potential Measurements and Column Experiments. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 139, 23-33.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000473 [14] Malama, B. (2012) Estimation of the Electrokinetic Coupling Coefficient and Hydraulic Conductivity from Streaming Potential Measurements in a Falling-Head Permeameter. NGWA Ground Water Summit, Garden Grove, 6-10 May 2012. [15] Naudet, V., Revil, A., Rizzo, E., Bottero, J.Y. and Bégassat, P. (2004) Groundwater Redox Conditions and Conductivity in a Contaminant Plume from Geoelectrical Investigations. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 8, 8-22.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-8-8-2004 [16] Engler, T. W. (2010) Part of Collection of Notes from the Petroleum Engineering 524 Class at New Mexico Tech. [17] Wallace, S.H., Shaw, S., Morris, K., Small, J.S., Fuller, A.J. and Burke, I.T. (2012) Effect of Groundwater pH and Ionic Strength on Strontium Sorption in Aquifer Sediments: Implications for 90Sr Mobility at Contaminated Nuclear Sites. Applied Geochemistry, 27, 1482-1491.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2012.04.007 [18] Krajangpan, S., Chisholm, B., Kalita, H. and Bezbaruah, A. (2009) Challenges in Groundwater Remediation with Iron Nanoparticles: Enabling Colloidal Stability. Nanotechnologies for Water Environment Applications, 191-212.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/9780784410301.ch08