Numerical Simulation of Chemical Reactions’ Influence on Convective Heat Transfer in Hydrothermal Circulation Reaction Zones

Abstract

Chemical reactions, mineral diffusion, and deposition are pivotal in understanding the mechanisms of mineral deposition and the formation of seafloor sulfides in the hydrothermal circulation process. To understand the formation process of anhydrite in submarine hydrothermal systems, a computational model that combined component transport and chemical reactions was established and simulated using the mass transport model. The deposition rate of calcium sulfate was defined, and the effects of factors such as porosity, ion concentration, and inflow velocity on the temperature field in the reaction zone were thoroughly investigated. The distribution of temperature, porosity, and velocity during the reaction process was obtained, allowing for the identification of the chemical reaction patterns of certain ions in the early stages of hydrothermal activity. The simulation revealed the occurrence of biochemical reactions between two types of ions, leading to their deposition on the solid framework of a porous medium. With the increase in inflow velocity and solute concentration, the average porosities of the porous medium decreased by 0.495% and 0.468%, respectively, which consequently altered the structure of the rock. Such findings contribute to the inference of formation and extinction mechanisms of seafloor crusts and hydrothermal chimneys.