Enhanced plume spreading
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate
InventorsDavid C. MAYS, Ryan G. TIGERA, Whitney BENSON
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Abstract
A method of enhancing plume spreading, the method comprising: injecting a first fluid having a first viscosity into a second fluid having a second viscosity; wherein the first viscosity is lower than the second viscosity; and wherein an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid has a surface area that is greater than a reference surface area of an interface between two fluids having a same viscosity, thereby enhancing plume spreading of the first fluid into the second fluid.
Claims20
A method of enhancing plume spreading, the method comprising:
- injecting a first fluid having a first viscosity into a second fluid having a second viscosity;
- wherein the first viscosity is lower than the second viscosity;
- and
- wherein an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid has a surface area that is greater than a reference surface area of an interface between two fluids having a same viscosity, thereby enhancing plume spreading of the first fluid into the second fluid.
The method of claim 3, wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature by from about 10° C. to about 100° C.
A method of groundwater remediation, the method comprising:
- injecting a fluid into a portion of groundwater;
- wherein the fluid has a first temperature and comprises a remediation amendment;
- wherein the groundwater has a second temperature and comprises at least one contaminant;
- wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature;
- wherein an interface between the groundwater and the injected fluid has a surface area that is greater than a reference surface area of an interface between groundwater and a reference injected fluid at the second temperature;
- and
- wherein the remediation amendment diffuses into the groundwater at the interface, thereby destroying, transforming, or immobilizing the at least one contaminant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.