Numerical Modeling of Thermal Conductive Heating in Fractured Bedrock

Numerical modeling was employed to study the performance of thermal conductive heating (TCH) in fractured shale under a variety of hydrogeological conditions. Model results show that groundwater flow in fractures does not significantly affect the minimum treatment zone temperature, except near the beginning of heating or when groundwater influx is high. However, fracture and rock matrix properties can significantly influence the time necessary to remove all liquid water (i.e., reach superheated steam conditions) in the treatment area. Low matrix permeability, high matrix porosity, and wide fracture spacing can contribute to boiling point elevation in the rock matrix. Consequently, knowledge of these properties is important for the estimation of treatment times. Because of the variability in boiling point throughout a fractured rock treatment zone and the absence of a well-defined constant temperature boiling plateau in the rock matrix, it may be difficult to monitor the progress of thermal treatment using temperature measurements alone.     

Tendances et ruptures au niveau des pluies journalières extrêmes en Côte d'Ivoire (Afrique de l'Ouest)

Résumé

Le changement climatique est une réalité qui affecte plusieurs variables climatiques dont les précipitations. Néanmoins, son impact sur les évènements extrêmes et en particulier sur les pluies journalières extrêmes n'est pas encore certain car peu de travaux y ont été consacrés en Afrique de l'Ouest. Dans ce contexte, il a été proposé de détecter d'éventuels tendances et ruptures dans les propriétés statistiques (moyenne, variance) des pluies journalières extrêmes à l'aide de tests statistiques locaux et régionaux. Pour détecter ces changements, les indices caractérisant la pluie maximale journalière annuelle (PJmaxan), le nombre annuel de jours de pluie dépassant 50 mm (NJsup50) et la contribution des pluies dépassant 50 mm dans les cumuls annuels (R(PJsup50/Pan)) ont été définis. L'analyse de 44 postes pluviométriques en Côte d'Ivoire sur la période 1942–2002 ne montre pas de changement généralisé ni en moyenne, ni en variance. Toutefois, en subdivisant la Côte d'Ivoire en régions climatiques homogènes, des tendances à la baisse ont été observées dans les régions IV (au Nord) et II (au Sud-Est).

Editeur Z.W. Kundzewicz; Assistant editeur G. Mahé

Citation Goula, A.B.T., Gneneyougo Soro, E., Kouassi, W. et Srohourou, B., 2012. Tendances et ruptures au niveau des pluies journalières extrêmes en Côte d'Ivoire (Afrique de l'Ouest). Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (6), 1067–1080.     

On the derivation of the energy flux of linear magnetohydrodynamic waves

Abstract

New light is shed on the derivation of the energy flux of the linear MHD waves. It is shown that, according to a suggestion of Lighthill, the usual perturbation procedure, which starts from the general expression for the energy flux, need not be supplemented by an averaging procedure. As a result, it is shown that to second order in the wave amplitude, a quantity identifiable as the wave energy flux is conserved. Some of the subtleties inherent in the derivation of the pertubation energy equation are discussed.     

Non-equilibrium alcohol flooding model for immiscible phase remediation: 1. Equation development

The equations for a compositional model for simulation of a two-phase, three-component system with inter-phase mass transfer are developed. Emphasis is placed on development of inter-phase mass transfer equations for incorporation of rate-limited inter-phase mass transfer. Due to the nature of the three-component systems considered, a single-film model may be inadequate and a two-film model must be utilized. A two-film model accounts for the simultaneous transfer of components in both directions across phase interfaces. The effect of interaction between components on diffusion is considered using a general form of Fick's Law. A Hand Plot representation of ternary phase behavior is chosen since it allows for straightforward calculation of miscibility of bulk phases under conditions of local non-equilibrium. The developed set of equations form the basis for a numerical model to simulate the enhanced removal of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) from porous media using single-component alcohol floods.     

Flow‐Through Stream Modeling with MODFLOW and MT3D: Certainties and Limitations

This paper aims to assess MODFLOW and MT3D capabilities for simulating the spread of contaminants from a river exhibiting an unusual relationship with an alluvial aquifer, with the groundwater head higher than the river head on one side and lower on the other (flow‐through stream). A series of simulation tests is conducted using a simple hypothetical model so as to characterize and quantify these limitations. Simulation results show that the expected contaminant spread could be achieved with a specific configuration composed of two sets of parameters: (1) modeled object parameters (hydraulic groundwater gradient, hydraulic conductivity values of aquifer and streambed), and (2) modeling parameters (vertical discretization of aquifer, horizontal refinement of stream modeled with River [RIV] package). The influence of these various parameters on simulation results is investigated, and potential complications and errors are identified. Contaminant spread from stream to aquifer is not always reproduced by MT3D due to the RIV package's inability to simulate lateral exchange fluxes between stream and aquifer. This paper identifies the need for a MODFLOW streamflow package allowing lateral stream‐aquifer interactions and streamflow routine calculations. Such developments could be of particular interest for modeling contaminated flow‐through streams.