The Effects of Salinity and Polymers on Transport of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Consolidated Cores
Han, Jae Jin.
2017
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Abstract: The unique
properties of nanomaterials have enticed many scientists to investigate the use of
super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IO NPs) for enhanced oil recovery. While
many transport studies have been conducted in unconsolidated media, transport behavior
in consolidated media remains to be understood. In this work, laboratory-scale
experiments were conducted to evaluate ... read morethe transport behavior of IO NPs through Berea
sandstone cores under varying experimental conditions (i.e. temperature, polymer
preflood, filtering, salinity, electrolyte species, and concentration). The experiments,
conducted with different background electrolyte solutions, revealed that ionic strength
has a greater impact on IO NP transport than the presence monovalent vs. divalent
cations. A limiting or maximum retention capacity, which has been observed in
unconsolidated column studies, was also demonstrated in Berea sandstone when the input
concentration of IO NP was increased from 100 to 1000 mg/L. The ability of polymers to
serve as sacrificial site-blocking agents in Berea cores was confirmed based on the
improved mobility of IO NPs following hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC-10) preflood. This
work provides experimental data that can be employed to improve down-hole delivery of
nanomaterials for reservoir characterization, and to support the development and
validation of predictive models for field-scale applications. Although this study
focuses on IO NPs as contrast agents for use in subsurface reservoirs, the findings
could be relevant for other types of NPs and other applications, such as imaging of
salt-water impacted aquifers or in cases where iron NPs (e.g., zero valent iron) are
used for environmental remediation.
Thesis (M.S.)--Tufts University, 2017.
Submitted to the Dept. of Civil Engineering.
Advisor: Kurt Pennell.
Committee: Kurt Pennell, John Germaine, and Bonnie Marion.
Keyword: Environmental engineering.read less - ID:
- th83m880s
- Component ID:
- tufts:23087
- To Cite:
- TARC Citation Guide EndNote
