Project description
Understanding solute transport’s impact on unsaturated porous media
Solute transport in unsaturated porous media is instrumental in environmental processes. However, its impact on the spreading of a solute plume, mixing with other solutes, and the resulting reaction rates for unsaturated flow are not understood. As these processes take place at a pore scale, direct pore scale experimental measurements are required to obtain a comprehensive understanding of them. The EU-funded UnsatPorMix project will elucidate the impact of structural pore-scale heterogeneity on solute spreading/mixing and reaction rates during unsaturated flow. The project will combine micromodel experiments and numerical model simulations, significantly contributing to the modelling and risk assessment for various subsurface phenomena and applications.
Objective
Solute transport in unsaturated porous media plays a crucial role in environmental processes affecting soils, aquifers, and carbon capture and storage operations. Natural porous media are characterized by various degrees of structural heterogeneity in the pore size distribution, spatial arrangements and spatial correlations. The impact of this pore-scale heterogeneity on the spreading of a solute plume, its mixing with other solutes, and the resulting reaction rates, is not well understood for unsaturated flow. Since these processes take place at pore scale, direct pore scale experimental measurements are needed to gain comprehensive understanding of them. The aim of UnsatPorMix is thus to elucidate the impact of structural pore-scale heterogeneity on solute spreading/mixing and reaction rates during unsaturated flow, through the combination of micromodel experiments and numerical model simulations. In the first stage of UnsatPorMix, experiments in micromodels with varying degrees of heterogeneity will provide unprecedented results on the phenomenology of pore-scale mechanisms and their effect on solute spreading and mixing. In the second stage, the experimental measurements of phase distribution and solute concentrations, combined to numerically-computed pore scale velocities, will be used to design and validate a pore-scale model for solute transport in these porous media. This model will allow obtaining a large representative numerical data set, enabling statistical analysis and the derivation of quantitative relations between structural heterogeneity and solute transport/mixing. UnsatPorMix will make a significant contribution to the modelling of, and risk assessment for, the various subsurface phenomena and applications cited above. During UnsatPorMix, the applicant will acquire a set of invaluable experimental skills and modeling expertise which will enable him to become an independent researcher and expert in flow and transport in unsaturated porous media.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
35065 RENNES CEDEX
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.