Modeling of multiphase multicontaminant transport in the subsurface

Thomas F. Russell

University of Colorado at Denver, Denver, Colorado ¹

¹ Also at U.S. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 25046, MS 413, Denver, Colorado 80225-0046.

• Introduction and Scope
• Major Issues
• Physical Processes
  • NAPL Dissolution
    • Earlier work.
    • Potential causes of nonequilibrium behavior.
    • NAPL blob shapes and sizes.
    • Heterogeneity and LEA validity.
    • Tailing.
    • LEA summary.
    • Equilibrium data.
    • Approximations to dissolution kinetics.
  • VOC Mass Transfer
  • Capillarity and Hysteresis
• Theoretical Upscaling
• System Formulation
  • Richards' Equation
  • Single-Phase Solute Transport
  • Time-Stepping Formulations
  • Treatment of Nonequilibrium
  • Summary
• Recent Models
  • VOC Movement
  • Specialized Complex Models
  • Chemistry/Transport
  • Limited NAPL Models
  • Three- and Four-Component Models
  • Compositional Models
  • Summary
• Summary and Future Directions
• References