Relationship of apparent and actual thickness of free phase gasoline and E-20 in column experiment / "Relação entre a espessura real e aparente da gasolina com etanol e da gasolina pura em colunas de laboratório"

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2003

RESUMO

Commercial gasolines sold in Brazil are added ethanol from 20 to 24% by volume. This oxygenated additive raises the octane level and reduces carbon monoxide emissions to the atmosphere. Underground storage tanks and gasoline lines are a major potential problem for soil and groundwater contamination. Since ethanol has cosolvent properties that alter the behavior of phase distribution in subsurface, this research compares the existing relationship of apparent and actual thicknesses of free phase gasoline and E-20 (80% gasoline and 20% ethanol by volume) found respectively in monitoring wells and medium porous material using two column experiments. Two cylindrical plexiglass columns were used (100 cm long and 23 cm in internal diameter). The bottom ends were capped using two 35 x 35 cm plexiglass plates. A spout-like connection of PVC was fitted near the base of each column as an inlet/outlet end. One well screen (100 cm long and 3,5 cm in internal diameter) in white PVC was cut in half lengthwise and attached to the inside walls of columns to be used as monitoring wells. The columns were then filled with 0,088 mm grain size sand (very fine).The apparent thickness of pure gasoline was 2.6 times thicker than the actual thickness in the aquifer while it was only 0.6 thicker for E-20. The interfacial tension of E-20 is 67% lower than the that of the pure gasoline, allowing a larger quantity of pores to be accessed, which was reflected in an oil saturation 54% higher than that of pure gasoline. Part of the gasoline phase of E-20 must have been precipitated as disconnected doplets within the pores creating a residual saturation and consequently reducing the permeability with respect to the aqueous phase delaying the breakthrough of E-20 in the monitoring well.

ASSUNTO(S)

hydrocarbons contaminação ethanol contamination gasoline etanol hidrocarbonetos gasolina

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