Multiphase gas transport in a shear zone

In the post-operational phase of a Low/Intermediate-Low radioactive waste repository, gas will be generated in the caverns due to anaerobic corrosion of metals, and also chemical and microbial degradation of organic substances. Previous investigations on gas migration have indicated that discrete water conducting features (e.g. shear zones) are mainly responsible for gas transport from the caverns through the geosphere. Two phase flow processes occur in these water conducting features; the continuity and spatial distribution of pore spaces, the pore size distribution and the interfacial forces of the three phases gas-water-rock have a significant influence on gas transport.The main difficulties to be resolved when simulating two-phase flow processes in fractured rock are:- The description of the internal heterogeneity of the individual water conducting features. The influence of channelling along preferential flow paths is even more important than for single phase fluid flow, because gas transport takes place more or less exclusively along the most transmissive channels. - The determination of effective mass exchange coefficients of the relevant components of the system. Mass exchange may occur between three phases (gas-water-rock). It depends on the spatial distribution of water and gas along the water conducting features (i.e. specific surface of contact areas between phases), and on the solubility and diffusivity of the different components, but also on a couple of state variables of liquid phase (initial content of dissolve/free gas, initial pressure).The work presented in this thesis aims to improve the understanding of the physics of single and multiphase transport phenomena, to be able to develop a quantitative description of gas transport in shear zones to overcome in a satisfactory way the problems described above.Postprint (published version

Multiphase gas transport in a shear zone

In the post-operational phase of a Low/Intermediate-Low radioactive waste repository, gas will be generated in the caverns due to anaerobic corrosion of metals, and also chemical and microbial degradation of organic substances. Previous investigations on gas migration have indicated that discrete water conducting features (e.g. shear zones) are mainly responsible for gas transport from the caverns through the geosphere. Two phase flow processes occur in these water conducting features; the continuity and spatial distribution of pore spaces, the pore size distribution and the interfacial forces of the three phases gas-water-rock have a significant influence on gas transport.The main difficulties to be resolved when simulating two-phase flow processes in fractured rock are:- The description of the internal heterogeneity of the individual water conducting features. The influence of channelling along preferential flow paths is even more important than for single phase fluid flow, because gas transport takes place more or less exclusively along the most transmissive channels. - The determination of effective mass exchange coefficients of the relevant components of the system. Mass exchange may occur between three phases (gas-water-rock). It depends on the spatial distribution of water and gas along the water conducting features (i.e. specific surface of contact areas between phases), and on the solubility and diffusivity of the different components, but also on a couple of state variables of liquid phase (initial content of dissolve/free gas, initial pressure).The work presented in this thesis aims to improve the understanding of the physics of single and multiphase transport phenomena, to be able to develop a quantitative description of gas transport in shear zones to overcome in a satisfactory way the problems described above

Stochastic simulation of daily rainfall fields conditioned on atmospheric circulation patterns and orographic effects.

The objective of the current work is to present a methodology for simulation of stochastic spatial distributed rainfall fields at the daily time step. For this purpose, we develop a geo-stochastic rainfall generating process (SRGP) to generate spatially distributed rainfall fields at daily time scale, that respect the spatial correlation structure of historically observed precipitation, while taking into account important factors that influence the development of observed spatial patterns. For each day, a spatially distributed rainfall field is generated from a pre-specified SRGP, selected based on atmospheric synoptic conditions relevant for that day. Each SRGP is simulated by applying the concept of double kriging, as the product of the spatial amount of rainfall and the spatial occurrence of rainfall by sequential simulation (sequential Gaussian simulation and sequential indicator simulation respectively). The SRGP can account for spatial rainfall nonstationarity related to orographic effects, and can be incorporated as part of a downscaling technique in the context of climate change impact studies. A case study for the Upper Guadiana basin (Spain) is presented that shows the ability of the method to reproduce various spatio-temporal characteristics of precipitation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Vertical variation in the amplitude of the seasonal isotopic content of rainfall as a tool to jointly estimate the groundwater recharge zone and transit times in the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park aquifer system, north-eastern Spain

The time series of stable water isotope composition relative to meteorological stations and springs located in the high mountainous zone of the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park are analyzed in order to study how the seasonal isotopic content of precipitation propagates through the hydrogeological system in terms of the aquifer recharge zone elevation and transit time. The amplitude of the seasonal isotopic composition of precipitation and the mean isotopic content in rainfall vary along a vertical transect, with altitudinal slopes for d18O of 0.9‰/km for seasonal amplitude and - 2.2‰/km for isotopic content. The main recharge zone elevation for the sampled springs is between 1950 and 2600 m·a.s.l. The water transit time for the sampled springs ranges from 1.1 to 4.5 yr, with an average value of 1.85 yr and a standard deviation of 0.8 yr. The hydrological system tends to behave as a mixing reservoir.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Convolutional coding combined with partial response continuous phase modulation

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D60929 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Stochastic simulation of nonstationary rainfall fields, accounting for seasonality and atmospheric circulation pattern evolution

A model for generating daily spatial correlated rainfall fields suitable for evaluating the impacts of climate change on water resources is presented. The model, termed Stochastic Rainfall Generating Process, is designed to incorporate two major nonstationarities: changes in the frequencies of different precipitation generating mechanisms (frontal and convective), and spatial nonstationarities caused by interactions of mesoscale atmospheric patterns with topography (orographic effects). These nonstationarities are approximated as discrete sets of the time-stationary Stochastic Rainfall Generating Process, each of which represents the different spatial patterns of rainfall (including its variation with topography) associated with different atmospheric circulation patterns and times of the year (seasons). Each discrete Stochastic Rainfall Generating Process generates daily correlated rainfall fields as the product of two random fields. First, the amount of rainfall is generated by a transformed Gaussian process applying sequential Gaussian simulation. Second, the delimitation of rain and no-rain areas (intermittence process) is defined by a binary random function simulated by sequential indicator simulations. To explore its applicability, the model is tested in the Upper Guadiana Basin in Spain. The result suggests that the model provides accurate reproduction of the major spatiotemporal features of rainfall needed for hydrological modeling and water resource evaluations. The results were significantly improved by incorporating spatial drift related to orographic precipitation into the model.Peer Reviewe

Stochastic simulation of daily rainfall fields conditioned on atmospheric circulation patterns and orographic effects.

The objective of the current work is to present a methodology for simulation of stochastic spatial distributed rainfall fields at the daily time step. For this purpose, we develop a geo-stochastic rainfall generating process (SRGP) to generate spatially distributed rainfall fields at daily time scale, that respect the spatial correlation structure of historically observed precipitation, while taking into account important factors that influence the development of observed spatial patterns. For each day, a spatially distributed rainfall field is generated from a pre-specified SRGP, selected based on atmospheric synoptic conditions relevant for that day. Each SRGP is simulated by applying the concept of double kriging, as the product of the spatial amount of rainfall and the spatial occurrence of rainfall by sequential simulation (sequential Gaussian simulation and sequential indicator simulation respectively). The SRGP can account for spatial rainfall nonstationarity related to orographic effects, and can be incorporated as part of a downscaling technique in the context of climate change impact studies. A case study for the Upper Guadiana basin (Spain) is presented that shows the ability of the method to reproduce various spatio-temporal characteristics of precipitation.Peer Reviewe

Vertical variation in the amplitude of the seasonal isotopic content of rainfall as a tool to jointly estimate the groundwater recharge zone and transit times in the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park aquifer system, north-eastern Spain

The time series of stable water isotope composition relative to meteorological stations and springs located in the high mountainous zone of the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park are analyzed in order to study how the seasonal isotopic content of precipitation propagates through the hydrogeological system in terms of the aquifer recharge zone elevation and transit time. The amplitude of the seasonal isotopic composition of precipitation and the mean isotopic content in rainfall vary along a vertical transect, with altitudinal slopes for d18O of 0.9‰/km for seasonal amplitude and - 2.2‰/km for isotopic content. The main recharge zone elevation for the sampled springs is between 1950 and 2600 m·a.s.l. The water transit time for the sampled springs ranges from 1.1 to 4.5 yr, with an average value of 1.85 yr and a standard deviation of 0.8 yr. The hydrological system tends to behave as a mixing reservoir.Peer Reviewe

Identification of natural and anthropogenic geochemical processes determining the groundwater quality in Port del Comte high mountain karst aquifer (SE, Pyrenees)

Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i SanejamentPostprint (published version