The Influence of Density Driven Mixing Mechanisms on Ureolysis Induced Carbonate Precipitation

Philip J. Salter; James M. Minto; Jay Warnett; Katherine J. Dobson

doi:10.69631/ipj.v2i1nr59

Authors

Philip J. Salter University of Strathclyde https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0731-5077
James M. Minto University of Strathclyde https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9414-4157
Jay Warnett University of Warwick https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2284-790X
Katherine J. Dobson University of Strathclyde https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2272-626X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69631/ipj.v2i1nr59

Keywords:

MICP, Microbially induced carbonate precipitation, EICP, Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation, Permeability, High-speed XCT, Tomography

Abstract

Engineered subsurface barriers with reduced porosity and permeability are critical for safe storage of CO₂ and H₂, for the prevention of pollutant transport, and for several other subsurface flow challenges. This study investigates enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP), a promising technique with the potential to achieve uniform precipitation in otherwise inaccessible regions, provided the mechanisms of pore-scale mixing are well understood. High-speed lab x-ray computed tomography and flow modelling were used to study the mechanisms of reagent mixing and precipitation. Our experiments show that initially, crystallization occurs homogeneously across grain surfaces, then localizes in pores with high enzyme concentrations. In these regions, we see crystal growth throughout the 65-minute experiment. Simulation of reagent injection produces a mixing front that matches the distribution of crystals seen in the experiments if we model mixing as a density driven flow. Overall, we see substantial reductions in simulated permeability (11-37%) depending on the efficiency of mixing. Our validated model allows us to predict and propose tailored injection strategies for optimizing mixing, bringing us closer to real-world deployment of EICP for subsurface barriers.

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Author Biographies

James M. Minto, University of Strathclyde

I am a Chancellor's Fellow in the Civil & Environmental Engineering department where I work on developing low viscosity alternative grouting materials for subsurface engineering works and investigate fundamental flow processes in fractured and porous media.

One such grout we are developing utilises naturally occurring soil bacteria Sporosarcina pasteurii to produce calcium carbonate via a biochemical reaction. The process is termed microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) and is an exciting and multidisciplinary field combining microbiology, geology, hydraulics and subsurface engineering with the potential, for certain applications, to replace the use of cement and chemical grouts with a less expensive, less toxic and low CO₂ “bio-grout”.

Our aim is to develop the MICP process for rock fracture sealing and ground improvement then demonstrate the feasibility of the process at the large scale. Our work combines micro-scale experiments characterised by 4D X-ray CT with large scale laboratory experiments and multi-scale numerical modelling.

Jay Warnett, University of Warwick

Dr. Jay Warnett is an Assistant Professor at WMG, University of Warwick, where he has been a faculty member since August 2016. Before this, he was a Research Fellow in the Product Evaluation Technologies group at WMG, managing research in X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) and working with numerous industrial partners to advance product development through this technique.

Dr. Warnett has contributed to shaping policy in XCT, co-authoring the EPSRC Technology Roadmap, which led to recommendations for "higher speed/throughput" CT and the acquisition of strategic equipment (EP/S010076/1). He also serves as a Co-Investigator for the National Research Facility for X-ray Computed Tomography, where Warwick is the Metrology spoke (EP/T02593X/1).

As an active member of the imaging community, Dr. Warnett is the Secretary of the international conference ToScA and a committee member for the Dimensional XCT conference. He also participates in national and international working groups focused on developing the new ISO 10360 standard for X-ray Computed Tomography, promoting standardization in the field. Additionally, he is advancing new computational methods through the Collaborative Computational Project in Imaging (CCPi, EP/T026677/1).

Beyond engineering, Dr. Warnett has played a key role in demonstrating XCT applications to non-engineering disciplines, benefiting organizations such as the West Midlands Police and the Oxford Natural History Museum.

Dr. Warnett holds a BSc in Mathematics (2009), an MSc in Mechanical Systems Engineering (2010), and a PhD in Engineering (2014), all from the University of Warwick.

Katherine J. Dobson, University of Strathclyde

I joined Strathclyde in 2019 as a Chancellor’s Fellow, and am now a Reader in Geomaterials and imaging, jointly appointed across Civil & Environmental Engineering and Chemical & Process Engineering. I am a geologist by background, but my research routinely bridges disciplines. Having spent time in Geoscience, Materials Science and Engineering departments, I regularly bring methods across traditional subject and area boundaries, especially at the interfaces between geology, materials science, energy, environmental science and engineering. My main research interests lie in understanding the behaviour and evolution of both natural and man-made materials, and in how the microstructure of a material evolves through time, changing the properties and behaviour of the larger system. To do this, I use x-ray computed tomography to see inside materials and objects and quantify their internal structures, and a range of experimental and analytical methods to observe the physical, chemical and biological changes within the sample over time.

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