Dynamic imaging of reactive flow and the influences on dissolution and precipitation in the pore network.
Contact: Tom Bultreys
Local variations in pore water chemistry can have major influences on the dissolution of minerals in the rock and the precipitation of new mineral phases. When a fluid migrates through a rock the local variations in fluid chemistry are controlled by advection and diffusion. Dynamic micro-CT allows us to visualize local chemical variations in the pore network and its evolution over time. It also allows us to monitor the effect of these chemical changes and investigate the dissolution and precipitation processes.
Left: Dynamic micro-CT scan (12 seconds per scan) of CsCl brine being pumped in a 6 mm diameter limestone sample. Advection controlled preferential flow channels and more isolated diffusion controlled pore bodies can be mapped (dotted circle). Dissolution of limestone along preferential flow paths during acid injection. Visualization of wormhole formation after 38 hours and 94 hours during acid injection