A non-invasive imaging technique to investigate solute transport in porous media

The development and evaluation of a two-dimensional (2-D) physical modelling system designed to analyse solute transport in porous media is described. The laboratory based system uses a simulated 2-D porous media of nominal thickness and a non-invasive imaging technique with a fluorescent dye tracer to monitor solute migration. Under UV illumination, the dye emits visible light which is recorded by a digital camera, and processed to produce a 2-D tracer concentration distribution. The system is demonstrated for a contaminant plume within a simulated homogeneous aquifer constructed from high purity quartz sands. The methods presented offer novel advantages for investigating solute dispersion in porous media and for determining the transverse and longitudinal dispersion coefficients without disturbance.