The challenges associated with the remediation of aquifers contaminated by dense nonaqueous phase organic liquids (DNAPLs), such as chlorinated solvents, are now well known. These low solubility liquids tend to migrate deep into a formation and pool in relatively inaccessible locations, where they dissolve slowly to create persistent contaminant plumes. The mechanisms of DNAPL migration and persistence were first explored in the environmental engineering/hydrology literature in the early 1980's, and the last twenty-five years have witnessed extensive development of multiphase flow and transport models for applications to DNAPL release and entrapment, plume evolution, and remediation scenarios. This presentation provides an overview of research focused on the development and application of these models. A historical perspective is provided on the parallel evolution of conceptual models and numerical simulators. Comparisons of model predictions with laboratory and field observations are used to illustrate model capabilities and limitations and to highlight future research opportunities.

Modeling DNAPL migration and persistence: Thirty years of progress and future opportunities

248th National Meeting (2014)

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