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US 6,178,808 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for testing the hydraulic conductivity of geologic materials
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsXiaodong Wang, Craig H. Benson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for measuring hydraulic conductivity of geological samples using a closed volume pumping system that ensures constant volume of test liquid within the sample and a shaped tube of mercury to provide a constant pressure difference across the sample to eliminate second order influences on the hydraulic conductivity measurement and to speed measurement.
Claims12
A method of testing geological materials for hydraulic conductivity comprising the steps of:
- (a) enclosing a sample geologic material in a cell having fluid impermeable walls, the cell including a first and second opposed orifice separated by the sample geologic material;
- (b) saturating the sample geologic material with a test fluid;
- (c) placing a constant pressure difference across the first and second orifices while matching fluid flow of the test fluid passing into the first orifice and out of the second orifice to provide a constant volume of test fluid within the sample geological material, wherein the placing step comprises providing a vertically oriented tube having a constant height and filled with a material of greater specific gravity than the test fluid, the vertical tube being joined at its upper end with a horizontal tube partially filled with the material of greater specific gravity, the free ends of which are attached one each to the first and second orifices, and wherein the weight of the material of greater specific gravity material in the vertical column provides the constant pressure difference;
- and
- (d) measuring the rate of fluid flow through one of the first and second orifices to deduce hydraulic conductivity through the geological material.
2 more elements
An apparatus for testing the hydraulic conductivity of geological materials to a test fluid, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a cell sized to receive the sample geologic material and having fluid impermeable walls pierced by a first and second opposed orifice positioned to be separated by the sample geological material when so positioned;
- (b) a constant volume constant pressure pump connected between the first and second orifices and operating so as to match fluid flow passing into the first orifice and out of the second orifice to ensure a constant volume of test fluid within the sample geological material, wherein the pump includes a tube having a constant height vertical tube filled with a material of greater specific gravity than the test fluid, the vertical extending tube joined at its upper end to a horizontal tube at least partially filled with the material of greater specific gravity than the test fluid, the free ends of which are attached one each to the first and second orifices by connecting lines;
- and
- (c) a flow monitor producing a measurement of the rate of fluid flow through one of the first and second orifices whereby hydraulic conductivity through the sample geological material may be deduced.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.