Efficient simulation of groundwater solute transport using the multipoint flux approximation method with arbitrary polygon grids

Abstract

Groundwater solute transport models are critical for simulating subsurface contaminant processes, guiding policy making for groundwater management, and pollution remediation. In this study, we develop an improved groundwater solute transport model which uses arbitrary-shaped polygons for spatial discretization. This allows for the efficient simulation of solutes in complex boundary aquifer systems. The governing equation is discretized in space using the finite volume method to ensure flux conservation both locally and globally. The dispersion term is discretized by the multipoint flux approximation (MPFA) method which is a finite volume method that is suitable on arbitrary polygon grids. A total variation diminishing (TVD) scheme is used to control numerical oscillation in the advection term. The functionality and performance of the new model are demonstrated by comparing the simulated results between our model and MT3DMS model in five case studies. The comparisons show that the new model can well represent the solute transport processes. In a real-world watershed with complex-shaped boundaries, the new model outperforms the conventional groundwater solute transport model with smaller computed root-mean-square errors. These modeling results suggest that our model can provide robust modeling solutions for simulating groundwater solute transport processes, especially in aquifer systems with complex shaped boundaries. Furthermore, our model can provide a more flexible discretization solution for coupling surface water models and groundwater solute transport models.