A nonlinear random walk approach to concentration-dependent contaminant transport in porous media

Abstract

We propose a nonlinear random walk model to describe the dynamics of dense contaminant plumes in porous media. A coupling between concentration and velocity fields is found, so that transport displays non-Fickian features. The qualitative behavior of the pollutant spatial profiles and moments is explored with the help of Monte Carlo simulation, within a Continuous Time Random Walk approach. Model outcomes are then compared with experimental measurements of variable-density contaminant transport in homogeneous and saturated vertical columns.

8 pages, 9 figures

References in corpus (3)

• Generalized Diffusion
• Continuous-time random-walk approach to normal and anomalous reaction-diffusion processes
• First passage times and distances along critical curves

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Spatial and temporal features of dense contaminant transport: experimental investigation and numerical modeling