Evaluation of the applicability of the dual‐domain mass transfer model in porous media containing connected high‐conductivity channels

Water Resources Research
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Abstract

This paper evaluates the dual‐domain mass transfer (DDMT) model to represent transport processes when small‐scale high‐conductivity (K) preferential flow paths (PFPs) are present in a homogenous porous media matrix. The effects of PFPs upon solute transport were examined through detailed numerical experiments involving different realizations of PFP networks, PFP/matrix conductivity contrasts varying from 10:1 to 200:1, different magnitudes of effective conductivities, and a range of molecular diffusion coefficients. Results suggest that the DDMT model can reproduce both the near‐source peak and the downstream low‐concentration spreading observed in the embedded dendritic network when there are large conductivity contrasts between high‐K PFPs and the low‐K matrix. The accuracy of the DDMT model is also affected by the geometry of PFP networks and by the relative significance of the diffusion process in the network‐matrix system.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Evaluation of the applicability of the dual‐domain mass transfer model in porous media containing connected high‐conductivity channels
Series title Water Resources Research
DOI 10.1029/2007WR005965
Volume 43
Issue 12
Year Published 2007
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Description Article W12407; 12 p.
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