Experimental and Numerical Evaluation of LNAPL Lens and Polluted Capillary Fringe Thickness

Abstract

The effective remediation of light non-aqueous-phase liquid (LNAPL) in the subsurface is dependent on predicting the location and geometry of the lens near the tension-saturated pores of the capillary fringe. The objective of this study was to evaluate both the thickness of a lens of light nonaqueous phase liquid spill in the subsurface and the subsequent alteration of the capillary fringe. Two-dimensional (2D) experiments were conducted in a parallel plate glass tank (1 m × 1 m × 5 cm) using Ottawa sand and gasoline. An equation for predicting the vertical thickness based on the displacement pressure in the lateral direction was developed. The model and previously published vertical equilibrium models for predicting the thickness of a lens were tested. The model equations were also used to evaluate changes in the capillary fringe due to capillary pollution. The results provide a means to better understand the behavior of light nonaqueous phase liquids in the subsurface.