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

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.