SFTEL: Flow Cell

EMSL's Subsurface Flow and Transport Experimental Laboratory offers several meter-scale flow cells and columns for research in saturated and unsaturated porous media. The laboratory is also equipped with a fully automated, state-of-the-art dual-energy gamma radiation system that can be used to simultaneously and nondestructively determine saturation of two immiscible fluids (water/nonaqueous phase liquid [NAPL], water/air, NAPL/air), bulk density and water content, and water content and salt concentration. However, potential research is not limited to NAPL investigations; any flow, transport, or remediation research will be considered using the instrumentation in this laboratory.

The dual-energy gamma radiation system Full size (jpg, 266 kb)

The Subsurface Flow and Transport Laboratory is equipped with a full analytical laboratory that enables chemical analysis support. Instruments available include an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, liquid chromatograph, ion chromatograph, capillary electrophoresis capabilities, and total organic carbon analyzer.

In addition, staff, software, and computational facilities are available to design experiments and compare experimental results with numerical predictions. The computer model STOMP (Subsurface Transport Over Multiple Phases) simulator is one example of available software.

Individuals may independently use the instrumentation in this laboratory for their research.

All Related Publications Related Publications

1. An automated tool for three types of saturated hydraulic conductivity laboratory measurements.
2. Surface and Interfacial Properties of Nonaqueous-Phase Liquid Mixtures Released to the Subsurface at the Hanford Site .
3. Scale-dependent desorption of uranium from contaminated subsurface sediments.
4. MASS-REMOVAL AND MASS-FLUX-REDUCTION BEHAVIOR FOR IDEALIZED SOURCE ZONES WITH HYDRAULICALLY POORLY-ACCESSIBLE IMMISCIBLE LIQUID.
5. Thermodynamic Model for Fluid-Fluid Interfacial Areas in Porous Media for Arbitrary Drainage-Imbibition Sequences.