Integrated physical and mathematical modeling approaches for facilitating R&D of remediation technologies for the management of petroleum-contaminated sites in Atlantic Canada

自20世纪90年代以来，与大西洋加拿大日益增长的石油和天然气部门相关的地下污染一直受到人们的极大关注。拟议的研究将把物理实验和数值计算机模型整合到一个通用框架中，以产生针对该地区石油污染问题的新的工程解决方案。拟议的研究将包括以下具体研究计划：(1)开发多孔介质强化技术(即预制的水平/垂直排水和生物屏障系统)，以改进原位生物修复设计；(2)定制设计替代化学载体，以增强DNAPLS的去除；(3)开发有效的重金属去除技术(例如，可重复使用的生物吸附剂、重金属的原位遏制和微生物堵塞隔离)；(4)修复过程的动态模拟和实时控制，以优化修复系统设计。这项研究的新颖性在于广泛使用实验和计算工具来研究和开发补救技术。由于田野中发生的地下污染事件是“看不见的”，因此人们非常希望能够借助某些工具“看到”这些物体/事件。因此，拟议的计划选择使用实验和计算机模型来发展对流动传输和污染恢复过程的理解，并清楚地可视化“看不见”的污染和清理事件。这种美感可能会带来经济上可行和有效的补救方案。这项拟议的研究将是加拿大大西洋地区第一个全面的地下污染修复实验模拟系统。开发的技术将帮助加拿大政府提高其管理地下污染问题的效率，这些问题不仅与石油行业有关，而且还与许多其他做法有关。它还将通过为污染控制和减少提供具有成本效益的方法而使工业合作伙伴受益。这些研究产品最终将被商业化，帮助加拿大的工业提高环境和经济效率。

Since 1990s, subsurface contamination associated with the growing oil and gas sector in Atlantic Canada has been acquiring much attention. The proposed research will integrate physical experimentation and numerical computer models into a general framework for generating novel engineering solutions to petroleum-contamination issues within this region. The proposed research will include the following specific research programs: (1) development of porous-media enhancement techniques (i.e., prefabricated horizontal/vertical drains and bio-barrier systems) for improving in-situ bioremediation design; (2) custom-design of alternative chemical-carriers for enhancing DNAPLs removal; (3) development of effective heavy-metal removal techniques (e.g., reusable bio-sorbents, in situ containment of heavy metals, and microbial plugging isolation); (4) dynamic modeling of remediation process and real-time control for optimal remediation system design. The novelty of this research is the extensive use of both experimental and computational tools for R&D of remediation technologies. As subsurface contamination events occurred in the fields are "unseeable", it is highly desired to be able to "see" these objects/events with the aid of certain tools. Therefore, the proposed programs choose to use experimentations and computer models to develop understandings of flow-transport and contamination-restoration processes and to clearly visualize "unseeable" contamination and cleanup events. This beauty could lead to economically feasible and effective remediation designs. The proposed research will be the first comprehensive subsurface contamination-remediation experimental-modeling system in Atlantic Canada. The developed technologies will help Canadian governments improve their effectiveness in managing subsurface pollution problems associated with not only petroleum industries but also many other practices. It will also benefit industrial partners by providing cost-effective methods for pollution control and abatement. The research products will be eventually commercialized for helping Canadian industries with both improved environmental and economic efficiencies.