Transport of reactive tracers in rock fractures

Abstract

Transport of tracers subject to mass transfer reactions in single rock fractures is investigated. A Lagrangian probabilistic model is developed where the mass transfer reactions are diffusion into the rock matrix and subsequent sorption in the matrix, and sorption on the fracture surface as well as on gauge (infill) material in the fracture. Sorption reactions are assumed to be linear, and in the general case kinetically controlled. The two main simplifying assumptions are that diffusion in the rock matrix is one-dimensional, perpendicular to the fracture plane, and the tracer is displaced within the fracture plane by advection only. The key feature of the proposed model is that advective transport and diffusive mass transfer are related in a dynamic manner through the flow equation. We have identified two Lagrangian random variables τ and β as key parameters which control advection and diffusive mass transfer, and are determined by the flow field. The probabilistic solution of the transport problem is based on the statistics of (τ, β), which we evaluated analytically using first-order expansions, and numerically using Monte Carlo simulations. To study (τ, β)-statistics, we assumed the ‘cubic law’ to be applicable locally, whereby the pressure field is described with the Reynolds lubrication equation. We found a strong correlation between τ and β which suggests a deterministic relationship β∼τ3/2; the exponent 3/2 is an artifact of the ‘cubic law’. It is shown that flow dynamics in fractures has a strong influence on the variability of τ and β, but a comparatively small impact on the relationship between τ and β. The probability distribution for the (decaying) tracer mass recovery is dispersed in the parameter space due to fracture aperture variability.