Looping Network Meetings

#70 June 2, 2025

Monday 15:00 (Paris/Warsaw time)

Tomasz Szawełło (University of Warsaw)

Optimizing injection parameters in mineral replacement systems

Abstract:
Mineral replacement reactions, where one mineral dissolves and another precipitates in its place, play a central role in subsurface processes such as geological CO₂ storage. These reactions are highly sensitive to local conditions and can be hindered by flow channel blockage by precipitates or passivating layers that halt further transformation. To better understand the conditions that promote sustained reaction progress, we developed a pore-network model that simulates reactive transport and evolving pore structures in porous media [1, 2].

The model captures multi-step reaction kinetics, tracks changes in pore geometry due to dissolution and precipitation, and includes topological changes such as pore merging. We apply it to explore how different flow rates and reactant concentrations affect mineral replacement dynamics. The simulations reveal distinct regimes—including self-sustained reactions through dynamic blockage and reopening—which we validate against experimental data for limestone dissolution and gypsum precipitation [3]. These results offer insight into how injection strategies can be optimized to enhance chemical transformation and improve efficiency in reactive flow applications.

[1] A. Budek and P. Szymczak, Physical Review E, 86, 056318, 2012.
[2] T. Szawełło, J. D. Hyman, P. K. Kang, and P. Szymczak, Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2024GL109940, 2024.
[3] O. Singurindy and B. Berkowitz, Water Resources Research, 39, 1016, 2003.

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