Mechanism of Suspended Kaolinite Particle Clogging in Porous Media During Managed Aquifer Recharge

Managed aquifer recharge is an effective strategy for urban stormwater management. Chemical ions are normally retained in stormwater and groundwater and may accelerate clogging during the recharge process. However, the effect of water chemistry on physical clogging has not previously been investigated. In this study, we investigated the hydrogeochemical mechanism of saturated porous media clogging in a series of column experiments. The column was packed with river sand and added suspensions of kaolinite particles. Calcium chloride and sodium chloride are used as representative ions to study chemical effects. We found that an increase in ionic strength resulted in retention of kaolinite solids in the column, with a breakthrough peak of C/C₀ value of 1 to 0.2. The corresponding hydraulic conductivity decreased with increased solids clogging. Divalent cations were also found to have a greater influence on kaolinite particle clogging than monovalent cations. The enhanced hydrochemical-related clogging was caused by kaolinite solids flocculating and increasing the deposition rate coefficient by 1 to 2 times in high ionic strength conditions. Three clogging mechanisms of kaolinite solids are proposed: surface filtration, inner blocking, and attachment. This study further deepens the understanding of the mechanisms of solids clogging during aquifer recharge and demonstrates the significance of ionic strength on recharge clogging risk assessments.     

Clogging process by suspended solids during groundwater artificial recharge: Evidence from lab simulations and numerical modelling

Permeability reduction of infiltration media due to suspended solid (SS) clogging is the bane of groundwater artificial recharge. To overcome the clogging problem and advance the understanding of the process‐based spatial‐temporal evolution of SS clogging, a 1D laboratory column simulation was carried out, followed by numerical modelling of the experimental data in this study. It was found that clogging caused a reduction in the hydraulic conductivity (K) in the upper layer at the beginning and extended deeper to approximately 50 cm, and no reduction in K was detected below 52 cm throughout the experimental period of 129 hr. The most clogged layer spanned from the surface to a depth of 11 cm, and the middle 11–52 cm was characterized by a slight decrease in K. The clogging rates of the different layers decreased with the depth, which was based on data analysis, with the largest value of 0.038 hr^?1 in the upper 1 cm. The overall K began to decrease from the surface layer and was increasingly affected by clogging with time. A mathematical model was established to simulate the SS clogging process evolution based on considerations of the attachments and detachments of particles. Then the model was applied to perform several scenario analyses after calibration and validation using the data obtained in the experiment. The simulation results indicated that the SS concentration was much more sensitive than the groundwater depth below the land surface, and 10 days of constant recharge is recommended as the disposal cycle of the clogged layer under the given conditions.     

Numerical Modeling of Unsaturated Flow in Wastewater Soil Absorption Systems

It is common practice in the United States to use wastewater soil absorption systems (WSAS) to treat domestic wastewater. WSAS are expected to provide efficient, long-term removal of wastewater contaminants prior to ground water recharge. Soil clogging at the infiltrative surface of WSAS occurs due to the accumulation of suspended solids, organic matter, and chemical precipitates during continued wastewater infiltration. This clogging zone (CZ) creates an impedance to flow, restricting the hydraulic conductivity and rate of infiltration. A certain degree of clogging may improve the treatment of wastewater by enhancing purification processes, in part because unsaturated flow is induced and residence times are significantly increased. However, if clogging becomes excessive, the wastewater pond height at the infiltrative surface can rise to a level where system failure occurs. The numerical model HYDRUS-2D is used to simulate unsaturated flow within WSAS to better understand the effect of CZs on unsaturated flow behavior and hydraulic retention times in sandy and silty soil. The simulations indicate that sand-based WSAS with mature CZs are characterized by a more widely distributed flow regime and longer hydraulic retention times. The impact of clogging on water flow within the silt is not as substantial. For sand, increasing the hydraulic resistance of the CZ by a factor of three to four requires an increase in the pond height by as much as a factor of five to achieve the same wastewater loading. Because the degree of CZ resistance directly influences the pond height within a system, understanding the influence of the CZ on flow regimes in WSAS is critical in optimizing system design to achieve the desired pollutant-treatment efficiency and to prolong system life.     

Two-phase modeling of sheet-flow beneath waves and its dependence on grain size and streaming

We study erosion depth and sediment fluxes for wave-induced sheet-flow, and their dependency on grain size and streaming. Hereto, we adopt a continuous two-phase model, applied before to simulate sheet-flow of medium and coarse sized sand. To make the model applicable to a wider range of sizes including fine sand, it appears necessary to adapt the turbulence closure of the model. With an adapted formulation for grain–carrier flow turbulence interaction, good reproductions of measured erosion depth of fine, medium and coarse sized sand beds are obtained. Also concentration and velocity profiles at various phases of the wave are reproduced well by the model. Comparison of sediment flux profiles from simulations for horizontally uniform oscillatory flow as in flow tunnels and for horizontally non-uniform flow as under free surface waves, shows that especially for fine sand onshore fluxes inside the sheet-flow layer increase under influence of progressive wave effects. This includes both the current-related and the wave-related contribution to the period-averaged sheet-flow sediment flux. The simulation results are consistent with trends for fine and medium sized sediment flux profiles observed from tunnel and flume experiments. This study shows that the present two-phase model is a valuable instrument for further study and parameterization of sheet-flow layer processes.     

The effect of temperature on the seepage transport of suspended particles in a porous medium

The main purpose of this study is to experimentally investigate the effect of temperature on the seepage transport of suspended particles (SP) with a median diameter of 10–47 μm in a porous medium for various seepage velocities. The results show that the rise of temperature accelerates the irregular movements of SPs in the porous medium and reduces their migration velocity. As a result, the pore volume corresponding to the peak value of the breakthrough curves is apparently delayed, and the peak value in the effluent is decreased. The migration velocity of SPs decreases with increasing particle size, regardless of the Darcy velocity and temperature. The longitudinal dispersivity of SPs decreases slightly with increasing temperature and then remains almost unchanged. Larger particles experience more irregular movements induced by the limit of pore size, which leads to a larger dispersivity. The deposition coefficient increases with increasing temperature, especially in the case of a high seepage velocity, and then tends to be stable. The deposition coefficient for large‐sized particles is higher than that for small‐sized particles, which can be attributed to the restriction of large‐sized particles by the narrow pores in the porous medium. The recovery rate decreases slightly with the increase of temperature until a critical value is reached, beyond which it remains almost unchanged. In summary, temperature is a significant factor affecting the transport and deposition of SPs in the porous medium, and the transport parameters such as particle velocity, dispersivity, and deposition coefficient.     

Trench infiltration for managed aquifer recharge to permeable bedrock

Managed aquifer recharge to permeable bedrock is increasingly being utilized to enhance resources and maintain sustainable groundwater development practices. One such target is the Navajo Sandstone, an extensive regional aquifer located throughout the Colorado Plateau of the western United States. Spreading‐basin and bank‐filtration projects along the sandstone outcrop's western edge in southwestern Utah have recently been implemented to meet growth‐related water demands. This paper reports on a new cost‐effective surface‐infiltration technique utilizing trenches for enhancing managed aquifer recharge to permeable bedrock. A 48‐day infiltration trench experiment on outcropping Navajo Sandstone was conducted to evaluate this alternative surface‐spreading artificial recharge method. Final infiltration rates through the bottom of the trench were about 0·5 m/day. These infiltration rates were an order of magnitude higher than rates from a previous surface‐spreading experiment at the same site. The higher rates were likely caused by a combination of factors including the removal of lower permeability soil and surficial caliche deposits, access to open vertical sandstone fractures, a reduction in physical clogging associated with silt and biofilm layers, minimizing viscosity effects by maintaining isothermal conditions, minimizing chemical clogging caused by carbonate mineral precipitation associated with algal photosynthesis, and diminished gas clogging associated with trapped air and biogenic gases. This pilot study illustrates the viability of trench infiltration for enhancing surface spreading of managed aquifer recharge to permeable bedrock. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution of clay-sized sediments in streambeds and influence of fine sediment clogging on hyporheic exchange

In this work, the deposition of clay-sized fine particles (d₅₀ = 0.006 mm) and its subsequent influence on the dune-induced hyporheic exchange are investigated. Fine sand (D₅₀ = 0.28 mm), coarse sand (D₅₀ = 1.7 mm), and gravel (D₅₀ = 5.5 mm) grains were used to form homogenous model streambeds; one control - no clay input, and two treatments - increasing clay inputs for each grain type. The results indicate that the clogging profiles of clay-sized sediments may not be predicted accurately using the previously proposed metric based on the relative sizes of infiltrating and substrate sediments. Further, the depositional patterns vary with the initial concentration of clay particles in the surface water. The assessment of clogging profiles in coarse-grained model streambeds also reveals a preferential infiltration of the clay particles in the hyporheic downwelling regions. The results from the dye tracer test suggest that the accumulation of clay particles altered the exchange characteristics in the treatment flumes. For each grain size, the treatment flumes exhibit lower hyporheic flux and higher median residence times compared to their respective control flumes. The dye penetration depths were lower in treatment flumes with fine and coarse sand compared to their respective control flumes. Interestingly, higher penetration depths were observed in treatment flumes with gravel compared to their respective control flume potentially due to the generation of preferential flow paths in the partially clogged gravel beds. The clogging altered the hyporheic fluxes and residence times in the coarse-grained model beds to a greater degree in comparison to the fine sand beds. Overall, our findings indicate that the properties of both fine and substrate sediments influence the clogging patterns in streambeds, and the subsequent influence of fine sediment clogging on hyporheic exchange and associated processes may vary across stream ecosystems.     

Transport of moderately sorted gravel at low bed shear stresses: The role of fine sediment infiltration

A reliable estimation of sediment transport in gravel‐bed streams is important for various practical engineering and biological studies (e.g., channel stability design, bed degradation/aggradation, restoration of spawning habitat). In the present work, we report original laboratory experiments investigating the transport of gravel particles at low bed shear stresses. The laboratory tests were conducted under unsteady flow conditions inducing low bed shear stresses, with detailed monitoring of the bed topography using a laser scanner. Effects of bed surface arrangements were documented by testing loose and packed bed configurations. Effects of fine sediments were examined by testing beds with sand, artificial fine sand or cohesive silt infiltrated in the gravel matrix. Analysis of the experimental data revealed that the transport of gravel particles depends upon the bed arrangement, the bed material properties (e.g., size and shape, consolidation index, permeability) and the concentration of fine sediments within the surface layer of moving grains. This concentration is directly related to the distribution of fine particles within the gravel matrix (i.e., bottom‐up infiltration or bridging) and their transport mode (i.e., bedload or suspended load). Compared to loose beds, the mobility of gravel is reduced for packed beds and for beds clogged from the bottom up with cohesive fine sediments; in both cases, the bed shear stress for gravel entrainment increases by about 12%. On the other hand, the mobility of gravel increases significantly (bed shear stress for particle motion decreasing up to 40%) for beds clogged at the surface by non‐cohesive sand particles. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

VELOCITY PROFILES OF SEDIMENT-LADEN FLOW

The time-average velocity profiles of the flows carrying natural sand particles and three kinds of plastic particles as suspension and neutrally buoyant load are measured and analyzed. The velocity profiles of the sediment-laden flow can approximately be divided into two regions - the near-bed region and the far-bed region. Main factors affecting the velocity profiles are viscosity, density gradient, grain shear stress and damping of turbulence due to particles. Based on these physical conceptions, a velocity profile model of sediment-laden flow is developed. It agrees well with the experimental data. The discrepancy is 1.57% for the plastic particle-laden flow and 3.67% for the natural sand-laden flow. In the far-bed region, von Karman constants are smaller than those of the clear water flow.     

Virtual velocity of sand transport in water

Using the 160‐m‐long flume at Tsukuba University we undertook an experiment to provide a first estimate of the virtual velocity of sand in the size range 0.5–2.0 mm. For the flow velocity used in our experiment this sediment‐size range would conventionally be regarded as suspended sediment. The virtual velocity was found to be 37–41% of the flow velocity. Paradoxically, virtual velocity decreases as particle size decreases. Such a lower virtual velocity of finer sediment is not inconceivable. First, trapping of the sediment appears to be a function of bed roughness, and there is a probable relationship between bed roughness and trapping efficiency for particles of different sizes. Second, finer particles are more likely to find sheltered positions on a rough bed and thus experience lower mobility, relative to the more exposed coarser grains, as observed for bedload transport. Third, the virtual velocity of particles undergoing bedload transport has been found, in some instances, to be lower for finer clasts. We combine our data with previous studies of virtual velocity of bedload to develop, for the first time, a hypothesis for a holistic analysis of sediment movement in rivers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Particle travel distances and bed and sediment compositions associated with rain‐impacted flows

Laboratory experiments were performed with rain of uniform drop size (2·7 mm, 5·1 mm) impacting flows over non‐cohesive beds of uniform sized sand (0·11–0·9 mm) and coal (0·2–0·9 mm) particles with flow velocities (20 mm s^?1, 40 mm s^?1) that were insufficient for the flow to entrain the particles without the aid of raindrop impact. Measurement of particle travel distance under rain made up of 2·7 mm drops confirmed a theoretical relationship between settling velocity and the distance particles travel after being disturbed by drop impact. Although, in theory, a relationship between settling velocity and particle travel distance exists, settling velocity by itself was unable to account for the effect of changes in both particle size and density on sediment discharge from beds of uniform non‐cohesive material. Particle density was also a factor. Further study of how particle characteristics influence sediment discharge will aid modelling of the impact of the soil in process‐based models of erosion by rain‐impacted flow. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bench‐Scaled Nano‐Fe0 Permeable Reactive Barrier for Nitrate Removal

There are many fundamental problems with the injection of nano‐zero‐valent iron (NZVI) particles to create permeable reactive barrier (PRB) treatment zone. Among them the loss of medium porosity or pore blocking over time can be considered which leads to reduction of permeability and bypass of the flow and contaminant plume up‐gradient of the PRB. Present study provides a solution for such problems by confining the target zone for injection to the gate in a funnel‐and‐gate configuration. A laboratory‐scale experimental setup is used in this work. In the designed PRB gate, no additional material from porous media exists. NZVI (d₅₀ = 52 ± 5 nm) particles are synthesized in water mixed with ethanol solvent system. A steady‐state condition is considered for the design of PRB size based on the concept of required contact time to obtain optimum width of PRB gate. Batch experiment is carried out and the results are used in the design of PRB gate width (~50 mm). Effect of high initial NO₃^–‐N concentration, NZVI concentration, and pore velocity of water in the range of laminar groundwater flow through porous media are evaluated on nitrate‐N reduction in PRB system. Results of PRB indicate that increasing the initial NO₃^–‐N concentration and pore velocity has inhibitor effect—against the effect of NZVI concentration—on the process of NO₃^–‐N removal. Settlement velocity (S.V.) of injected NZVI with different concentrations in the PRB is also investigated. Results indicate that the proposed PRB can solve the low permeability of medium in down‐gradient but increasing of the S.V. especially at higher concentration is one of the problems with this system that needs further investigations.     

Examining the physical components of boundary shear stress for water‐worked gravel deposits

It is argued in this commentary that, in order to understand better the physical mechanisms that generate boundary shear stress over water‐worked gravel beds, flow velocity data should be re‐evaluated by spatial averaging the Reynolds equations to produce time‐ and space‐averaged (double‐averaged) momentum equations. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted in which the flow velocities were measured using a PIV system over two water‐worked gravel deposits. Combined with detailed data on the bed surface topography and vertical porosity, the physical components of shear stress were obtained. This enabled the various momentum transfer mechanisms present above, within and at the interface of a porous, fluvial deposit, to be quantified. This included the examination of the relevant contributions of temporal and spatial fluctuations in velocity and surface drag to the overall momentum transfer. It is demonstrated that double‐averaging represents a logical framework for assessing the fluid forces responsible for sediment entrainment and for investigating intragravel flow and sediment–water interface exchange mechanisms within the roughness layer in water‐worked gravel deposits. By considering the physical components of shear stress and their relative sizes it was possible to provide a physically based explanation for existing observations of enhanced mobility of gravel–sand mixtures and the transfer of solutes into porous, gravel deposits. This analysis reveals the importance of obtaining co‐located, high quality spatial data on the flow field and bed surface topography in order to gain a physical understanding of the mechanisms which generate boundary shear stress. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of the method of collecting suspended sediment from large rivers by discharge-weighted pumping and separation by continuous-flow centrifugation

A method for collecting suspended sediment samples has been developed that pumps a discharge-weighted volume of water from fixed depths at four to 40 locations across a river and separates the suspended sediment in the sample using a continuous-flow centrifuge. The efficacy of the method is evaluated by comparing the particle size distributions of sediment collected by the discharge-weighted pumping method with the particle size distributions of sediment collected by depth integration and separated by gravitational settling. The pumping method was found to undersample the suspended sand sized particles (> 63 μm) but to collect a representative sample of the suspended silt and clay sized particles (< 63 μm). The centrifuge separated the silt and clay sized particles (< 63 μm) into three fractions. Based on the average results of processing 17 samples from the Mississippi River and several of its large tributaries in 1990, about 10% of the silt and clay sized material was trapped in a centrifuge bowl-bottom sealing unit containing the nozzle and consisted of mostly medium and coarse silt from 16 to 63 μm. About 74% was retained on a Teflon liner in the centrifuge bowl and consisted of sizes from 0–1 to 63 μm. About 9% was discharged from the centrifuge in the effluent and was finer than 0–1 μm. About 7% was lost during the processes of removing the wet sediment fractions from the centrifuge, drying and weighing. The success of the discharge-weighted pumping method depends on how homogeneously the silt and clay sized particles (< 63 μm) are distributed in the vertical direction in the river. The degree of homogeneity depends on the composition and degree of aggregation of the suspended sediment particles.     

Stochastic analysis of immiscible displacement in porous media

The interface of two immiscible fluids flowing in porous media may behave in an unstable fashion. This instability is governed by the pore distribution, differential viscosity and interface tension between the two immiscible fluids. This study investigates the factors that control the interface instability at the wetting front. The development of the flow equation is based on the mass balance principle, with boundary conditions such as the velocity continuity and capillary pressure balance at the interface. By assuming that the two-phase fluids in porous media are saturated, a covariance function of the wetting front position is derived by stochastic theory. According to those results, the unstable interface between two immiscible fluids is governed by the fluid velocity and properties such as viscosity and density. The fluid properties that affect the interface instability are expressed as dimensionless parameters, mobility ratio, capillary number and Bond number. If the fluid flow is driven by gravitational force, whether the interface undergoes upward displacement or downward displacement, the variance of the unstable interface decreases with an increasing mobility ratio, increases with increasing capillary number, and decreases with increasing Bond number. For a circumstance in which fluid flow is horizontal, our results demonstrate that the capillary number does not influence the generation of the unstable interface.     

Suspended particulate grain size dynamics and their implications for trace metal sorption in the Don River

We examined particle size distributions of suspended particulate matter (SPM); physical and environmental influences on the observed distributions; and relationships between particle size and geochemical partitioning of metals, over the fall and winter period in a small urban river (Don River, Toronto, Ontario, Canada). For this dataset, the majority of particles (80%) in suspension were less than 10 µm in size. In addition, while total SPM concentrations showed a positive trend with increasing discharge (Q); the proportions of particles found within given size classes were independent of both SPM concentration and Q. Temperature was the only measured environmental variable related to the particle concentrations within size classes. As water temperature increased, the concentration of particles in the smallest size class (1–4 µm) decreased, while the concentration of silt and/or algae sized particles (10–50 µm) increased. Increasing water temperatures may promote bacterial attachment to particles and their subsequent flocculation into larger sized particles. Decreasing concentrations of leachable (most labile) Cd, Zn and Mn were associated with increasing concentrations of the largest particles (70–150 µm) in suspension. In contrast, higher reducible (oxides) associated concentrations of Cd, Zn and Mn occurred with increasing concentrations of smaller particles (1–10 µm) in suspension. Both of these trends are speculated to reflect the importance of particle surface area for metal sorption reactions.     

Particle velocity and concentration profiles in bedload experiments on a steep slope

Depth profiles of particle streamwise velocity, concentration and bedload sediment transport rate were measured in a turbulent and supercritical water flow. One‐size 6 mm diameter spherical glass beads were transported at equilibrium in a two‐dimensional 10% steep channel with a mobile bed. Flows were filmed from the side by a high‐speed camera. Particle tracking algorithms made it possible to determine the position, velocity and trajectory of a very large number of particles. Approximately half of the sediment transport rate was composed by rolling grains, and the other half by saltation. This revealed a complex structure, with several concentration and flux peaks due to rolling, and one peak due to saltation. With an increase of the sediment transport rate, the depth structure remained the same at the water/granular interface, with peak value increases but with no shift in elevations. The saltation region expanded towards higher elevations with an increase of the particle velocity commensurate to the water velocity. The proportion of the sediment transport rate in saltation did not vary significantly. The particle streamwise velocity profiles exhibited three segments: an exponential decay in the bed, a linear increase where rolling and saltation co‐existed, and above this, a logarithmic‐like shape due to saltating particles. These results are comparable to profiles measured and modelled in dry granular free surface flows and in more intense bedload such as sheet flows. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of geometrical properties on permeability and fluid phase distribution in porous media

To predict fluid phase distribution in porous media, the effect of geometric properties on flow processes must be understood. In this study, we analyze the effect of volume, surface, curvature and connectivity (the four Minkowski functionals) on the hydraulic conductivity and the water retention curve. For that purpose, we generated 12 artificial structures with 800³ voxels (the units of a 3D image) and compared them with a scanned sand sample of the same size. The structures were generated with a Boolean model based on a random distribution of overlapping ellipsoids whose size and shape were chosen to fulfill the criteria of the measured functionals. The pore structure of sand material was mapped with X-rays from synchrotrons.     

Flow Characteristics of Microbubble Suspensions in Porous Media as an Oxygen Carrier

Microbubble suspensions were generated as an oxygen carrier for aerobic biodegradation, and their flow characteristics in porous media were investigated. Commercial surfactants including sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and dodecylethyldimethylammonium bromide (DEDAB), saponin (a natural surfactant), and collagen (a protein hydrolysate) were examined as base materials for generating microbubble suspensions. Among them, 2×CMC (critical micellar concentration) of SDS, DEDAB, and saponin developed microbubble suspensions with the highest gas hold‐up and half‐drainage time. Visualization of the flow patterns in sand showed that the microbubble suspensions were separated into a liquid and gas phase directly after injection, showing much faster movement of liquid phase flow. The gas front of the microbubble suspensions flowed in a plug‐flow manner, particularly in cases of SDS and DEDAB. The experimental results from both homogeneous and heterogeneous cells confirmed that the microbubble flow could overcome the heterogeneity in porous media. However, the plug‐flow characteristics and flow propagation of the microbubble suspensions to the low‐permeability zone was accompanied by a large pressure drop, which needs to be considered for future field application.