Experimental investigation of suspended particles transport in porous medium under variable temperatures

Abstract

AbstractThis paper presents a study on suspended particle transport in porous medium with the aid of a sand layer transportation–deposition testing system to determine the kinetic characteristics of particles in porous medium under variable temperatures. Quartz sand and quartz powder were chosen as the porous medium and particle in the tests, respectively. Four size compositions and two operational modes, that is, temperature reduction mode (changing from 18°C to 5°C) and temperature increment mode (changing from 18°C to 35°C), were adopted. The turbidity and concentration of quartz powder were measured under various conditions. We observed a high temperature‐independent correlation between them. Breakthrough curves under different conditions were analysed using this testing system. The results showed that changes in temperature affected the particle transport process to some extent, and the degree of influence was closely related to the time moment of the temperature change onset. Moreover, we found a hysteresis phenomenon in the breakthrough curve under both temperature reduction and increment conditions. The results also indicated that the temperature effect was particularly significant for smaller particles. The typical curves to represent particle transport process under variable temperatures were put forward according to the results. To explain the test results, four factors, that is, water viscosity, adsorption effect, double layer force, and particle kinetic energy, were considered and categorized as promotion or constraining factors.