[en] Chalk porosity plays a decisive role in the transport of solutes and heat in saturated chalk. From a
geological point of view, there are at least two types of porosity: the porosity of pores corresponding to the micro-spaces between the fossil coccoliths that form the chalk matrix and the porosity owing to the micro and macro-fractures (i.e. secondary porosity). For groundwater flow, the fracture porosity is a determining factor at the macroscopic scale. The multiscale heterogeneity of the porous/fractured chalk induces different effects on solute and heat transport. For solute transport considered at the macroscopic scale, tracer tests have shown that the ‘effective transport porosity’ is substantially lower than the ‘effective drainable porosity’. Moreover, breakthrough curves of tracer tests show an important influence of diffusion in a large portion of the ‘immobile water’ (‘matrix diffusion’) together with rapid preferential advection through the fractures. For heat transport, the matrix diffusion in the ‘immobile water’ of the chalk is hard to distinguish from conduction within the saturated chalk.
Disciplines :
Geological, petroleum & mining engineering
Author, co-author :
Hoffmann, Richard ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo > Hydrogéologie & Géologie de l'environnement
Goderniaux, Pascal; Université de Mons - UMONS > Geology and Applied Geology
Jamin, Pierre ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo > Hydrogéologie & Géologie de l'environnement
Orban, Philippe ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo > Hydrogéologie & Géologie de l'environnement
Brouyère, Serge ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo > Hydrogéologie & Géologie de l'environnement
Dassargues, Alain ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo > Hydrogéologie & Géologie de l'environnement
Language :
English
Title :
Differentiated influence of the double porosity of the chalk on solute and heat transport
Publication date :
08 December 2021
Main work title :
The Chalk Aquifers of Northern Europe
Editor :
Farrell, R.P.
Massei, N.
Foley, A.E.
Howlett, P.R.
West, L.J.
Publisher :
Geological Society, London, United Kingdom
Edition :
Special Publications
Collection name :
517
Peer reviewed :
Peer reviewed
European Projects :
H2020 - 722028 - ENIGMA - European training Network for In situ imaGing of dynaMic processes in heterogeneous subsurfAce environments
Name of the research project :
Grant n° J.0115.15.
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique EC - European Commission
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