ERI: Impact of pore-scale heterogeneity on precipitation and transport in porous media

溶质在多孔结构和地下系统中的沉淀可能导致一连串意想不到的问题，包括孔隙堵塞，如在盐水含水层中注入CO2时的盐沉淀。该奖项旨在研究水溶性聚合物在多孔介质中的沉淀以及介质非均匀性对沉淀和跨介质传输的影响。软光刻技术将被用于制造具有不同非均匀性的二维多孔环境。使用光学显微镜，网络结构和流量分布的变化将被监测后，注射的反溶剂沉淀的聚合物。这些研究将揭示沉淀和堵塞如何调节连通孔隙网络中的流量分布。该奖项的更广泛的影响包括培训研究生和本科生研究这些及时的问题，并发展在多孔介质中的运输定量的理解。它还将使新的示范，以激励和吸引K-12学生在科学课在当地的男孩和女孩俱乐部交付。该奖项将开发新的实验技术和改进的数学模型，以产生在多孔介质中的反应传输的基本理解。其目的是调查如何介质的非均匀性和动态网络的变化，由于降水影响长期对流和反应过程中的多孔介质。以下系统的目标被认为是：1）当地介质的非均匀性的作用，在对流为主的和反应为主的制度之间的过渡的研究，和2）由于降水的溶质的自限性运输。平流和降水率与系统对当地变化的响应的时间尺度之间的相关性将用于预测由于反应性运输造成的堵塞。研究结果将提供基础模型的反应性运输的基础上，在工业操作中访问的散装运输性能，以保持渗滤，避免堵塞。更广泛地说，该奖项将促进对封闭和非均质环境中两种可混溶流体界面处的自调节生长的理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The precipitation of solutes in porous structures and subsurface systems can cause a cascade of unexpected issues, including clogging of pores, as in the salt precipitation upon injection of CO2 in a brine aquifer. This award aims to investigate the precipitation of water-soluble polymers in porous media and the impact of medium heterogeneity on precipitation and transport across the medium. Soft lithography will be used to fabricate two-dimensional porous environments with different heterogeneities. Using optical microscopy, the changes in network structure and flow distribution will be monitored upon injection of antisolvent to precipitate the polymer. These studies will reveal how precipitation and clogging regulate the flow distribution in the network of connected pores. The broader impacts of this award include training graduate students and undergraduates to study these timely problems and to develop a quantitative understanding of transport in porous media. It will also enable new demonstrations to inspire and engage K-12 students in the Science lessons delivered at the local Boys and Girls Club.This award will develop new experimental techniques and improved mathematical models to generate a fundamental understanding of reactive transport in porous media. The goal is to investigate how medium heterogeneity and dynamic network changes due to precipitation impact long-term advection and reaction processes in porous media. The following systematic aims are considered: 1) the study of the role of local medium heterogeneity in the transition between advection-dominated and reaction-dominated regimes, and 2) the self-limiting transport of solute due to precipitation. The correlation between advection and precipitation rates with the time scale of the response of the system to local changes will be used to predict clogging due to reactive transport. The results will provide foundational models of reactive transport based on bulk transport properties accessible in industrial operations to maintain percolation and avoid clogging. More broadly, this award will advance the understanding of self-regulating growth at the interface of two miscible fluids in a confined and heterogeneous environment.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.