FLUID-SOLID COUPLING MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF CONTAMINANT TRANSPORT IN UNSATURATED ZONE AND ITS ASYMPTOTICAL SOLUTION

The process of contaminant transport is a problem of multicomponent and multiphase flow in unsaturated zone. Under the presupposition that gas existence affects water transport, a coupled mathematical model of contaminant transport in unsaturated zone has been established based on fluid_solid interaction mechanics theory. The asymptotical solutions to the nonlinear coupling mathematical model were accomplished by the perturbation and integral transformation method. The distribution law of pore pressure, pore water velocity and contaminant concentration in unsaturated zone has been presented under the conditions of with coupling and without coupling gas phase. An example problem was used to provide a quantitative verification and validation of the model. The asymptotical solution was compared with Faust model solution. The comparison results show reasonable agreement between asymptotical solution and Faust solution, and the gas effect and media deformation has a large impact on the contaminant transport. The theoretical basis is provided for forecasting contaminant transport and the determination of the relationship among pressure_saturation_permeability in laboratory.

Mixed surfactant washing of petroleum contaminants from the soils and sediments in the unsaturated zone

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of a mixed surfactant for washing oil from soils in the unsaturated zone. The commercial surfactant used for making mixed surfactant were alcohol polyethoxylate (AEO\|9, nonionic) and sodium alcohol polyethoxylated ethers sulfate (AES, anionic). Based on the properties (critical micelle concentration, hydrophilic/ lipophilic balance and surface tension) of individual surfactants and the mixed surfactant, the preferred composition of an aqueous mixed surfactant solution was determined which consisted of 0 5% AEO\|9 and 0 1% AES. The batch washing experiments have shown that the removal efficiency of oil from soils with mixed surfactant was higher than that with individual surfactants. Soil column washing results have shown that the sequence of oil removal efficiency was mixed surfactant (0.5% AEO\|9 and 0.1% AES)>AEO\|9 (0.1%)>AES (0.2%)>water, and the ratio was 1∶0 84∶0 66∶0 06. Biodegradation experiments by growth cells and resting cells were carried out to evaluate the environmental acceptability of the test surfactants. The results have shown that the surfactants were able to serve as sole carbon source for strains Pseudomonos sp. 52 and Weeksella sp. 6 which were isolated from petroleum contaminated soil. More than 90% of the parent mixed surfactants disappeared in two weeks under growth cell conditions.

Study of fate and transport of chromium in unsaturated zonesaturated zone

Effluent irrigation can ease the water shortage area agricultural water shortage,and waste-water recycling,as well as bring a series of scientific and socio-economic issues,such as environmentalissues,food safety,sustainable development and so on,which has attracted the attention of people.So,paper to Kaifeng city several important dirt irrigation district for

Soil water movement and deep drainage through thick vadose zones on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountain: Croplands vs.natural lands

Regional aridity is increasing under global climate change,and therefore the sustainable use of water resources has drawn attention from scientists and the public.Land-use changes can have a significant impact on groundwater recharge in arid regions,and quantitative assessment of the impact is key to sustainable groundwater resources management.In this study,the changes of groundwater recharge after the conversion of natural lands to croplands were investigated and compared in inland and arid region,i.e.,the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountain.Stable isotopes suggest that soil water in topsoil(<2 m)has experienced stronger evaporation under natural lands than croplands,and then moves downward as a piston flow.Recharge was estimated by the tracer-based mass balance method,i.e.,chloride and sulfate.Recharge rates under natural conditions estimated by the chloride mass balance(CMB)method were estimated to be 0.07 mm/a in deserts and 0.4 mm/a in oases.In contrast,the estimated groundwater recharge ranged from 61.2 mm/a to 44.8 mm/a in croplands,indicating that groundwater recharge would increase significantly after land changes from natural lands to irrigated croplands in arid regions.Recharge estimated by the sulfate mass balance method is consistent with that from the CMB method,indicating that sulfate is also a good tracer capable of estimating groundwater recharge.

Unsaturated Flow Drying Bed(UFDB):An Alternative for Treatment of Septic Tanks Sludge

Unsaturated Flow Drying Bed (UFDB) principles are based on the ones of wastewater treatment by infiltration-percolation on the one hand and septic tanks sludge solar-drying beds on the other hand. With UFDB, sludge charges are split with low heights, leading to the drying of suspended solids in 2 days, and the infiltration of the flow of liquid in unsaturated middle. For average charges reaching 12.5 cm/d, the treatment efficiency of total oxygen demand and Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, respectively 95 and 96%, correspond to a treatment capacity of 0.5 kg of O2/d/m2 of drying area. Bacteria reductions of 4 Ulog are obtained from filtrates outlet, with average fecal coliforms charges less than 103 CFU/100 ml. Monitoring the hydrodynamic behavior through rates, moisture, organic matter and respiratory activity demonstrates that the clogging of the massifs is linked to a biofilm growth within them. A four week resting period allows biofilm resorption. Thus, the drying of the infiltration surface in two days, the elimination of carbon, nitrogen and bacterial pollutions, as well as the reversibility of clogging show that UFDB is a credible alternative for the treatment of septic tank sludge in the socio-economic context and climate of tropical Africa.

Contribution of groundwater to the formation of sand dunes in the Badain Jaran Desert, China

The tallest sand dune worldwide is located in the Badain Jaran Desert(BJD),China,and has been standing for thousands of years.Previous studies have conducted limited physical exploration and excavation on the formation of sand dunes and have proposed three viewpoints,that is,bedrock control,wind dominance,and groundwater maintenance with no unified conclusion.Therefore,this study analyzed the underlying bedding structure of sand dunes in the BJD.Although the bedrock of sand dunes is uplifted and wind controls the shape of dunes,the main cause of dune formation is groundwater that maintains the deposition of calcareous sandstone and accumulation of aeolian sand.According to water transport model and vapor transports in the unsaturated zone of sand dunes,capillary water transport height is limited with film water constituting the main form of water in dunes.Chemical properties and temperature of groundwater showed that aquifers in different basins receive relatively independent recharge from deep sources in the crater.Result of dune formation mechanism is of considerable importance in understanding groundwater circulation and provides a new perspective on water management in arid desert areas.

Estimation of Hydraulic Conductivity of Soils at a Watershed-Scale Using Porchet’s Method: Application in the Olezoa Waterhed, Yaounde, Cameroon

Contamination analysis of the unsaturated zone requires information on the spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity. Two types of hydraulic tests (variable and constant charge) were identified to estimate the spatial variability of the hydraulic conductivity of the surface portion of the unsaturated zone in the Olezoa watershed. These tests were performed on 100 holes at depths ranging between 50 and 90 cm, spread throughout the watershed. The hydraulic conductivity values obtained at 50 and 90 cm are close to the absolute value for each method. However, they show a difference of 10-1 m/s between the two types of test regardless of the depth of investigation. The representation of data in the graph indicates a staircase quartile distribution for the variable charge test. The test at constant charge, rather presents a log normal distribution which is also supported by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Hydraulic conductivities have a random component and a spatial organization which results from soil and/or morphological factors. This organization thus permits the distinction of zones which could show high pollution risk.