Density-Dependent Flows

Primary source:

User’s Guide to SEAWAT: A Computer Program for

Simulation of Three-Dimensional Variable-Density Ground-
Water Flow

By Weixing Guo and Christian D. Langevin

U.S. Geological Survey
Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations 6-A7,
Tallahassee, Florida2002
 Sources of density variation
• Solute concentration
• Pressure
• Temperature
 USGS
• HST3D
– Three-dimensional flow, heat, and solute transport model
• HYDROTHERM
– Three-dimensional finite-difference model to simulate multiphase ground-water
flow and heat transport in the temperature range of 0 to 1,200 degrees Celsius
• MOCDENSE
– Temperature is assumed to be constant, but fluid density and viscosity are
assumed to be a linear function of the first specified solute.
• SEAWAT and SEAWAT-2000
– A computer program for simulation of three-dimensional variable-density ground
water flow
• SHARP
– A quasi-three-dimensional, numerical finite-difference model to simulate
freshwater and saltwater flow separated by a sharp interface in layered coastal
aquifer systems
• SUTRA and related programs
– 2D, 3D, variable-density, variably-saturated flow, solute or energy transport
 Others
• 3DFATMIC 
– 3-D transient and/or steady-state density-dependent flow field and transient and/or steady-state distribution
of a substrate, a nutrient, an aerobic electron acceptor (e.g., the oxygen), an anaerobic electron acceptor
(e.g., the nitrate), and three types of microbes in a three-dimensional domain of subsurface media.
• 3DFEMFAT
– 3-D finite-element flow and transport through saturated-unsaturated media. Combined sequential flow and
transport, or coupled density-dependent flow and transport. Completely eliminates numerical oscillation due
to advection terms, can be applied to mesh Peclet numbers ranging from 0 to infinity, can use a very large
time step size to greatly reduce numerical diffusion, and hybrid Lagrangian-Eulerian finite-element approach
is always superior to and will never be worse than its corresponding upstream finite-element or finite-
difference method.
• FEFLOW
– FEFLOW (Finite Element subsurface FLOW system) saturated and unsaturated conditions.  FEFLOW is a
finite element simulation system which includes interactive graphics, a GIS interface, data regionalization
and visualization tools. FEFLOW provides tools for building the finite element mesh, assigning model
properties and boundary conditions, running the simulation, and visualizing the results.
• FEMWATER
– 3D finite element, saturated / unsaturated, density driven flow and transport model
• SWICHA (old)
– three-dimensional finite element code for analyzing seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers. The model
simulates variable density fluid flow and solute transport processes in fully-saturated porous media. It can
solve the flow and transport equations independently or concurrently in the same computer run. Transport
mechanisms considered include: advection, hydrodynamic dispersion, absorption, and first-order decay.
• TARGET (old)
– 3D vertically oriented (cross section), variably saturated, density coupled, transient ground-water flow, and
solute transport (TARGET-2DU);
– 3D saturated, density coupled, transient ground-water flow, and solute transport (TARGET-3DS).
 Freshwater Head
• SEAWAT is based on the
concept of equivalent
freshwater head in a saline
ground-water environment
• Piezometer A contains
freshwater
• Piezometer B contains water
identical to that present in
the saline aquifer
• The height of the water level
in piezometer A is the
freshwater head
Converting between:
 Mass Balance
• (with sink term)
• Product Rule
 Density

(and soon T!)

• Chain rule
Water Compressibility
Medium Compressibility
 Specific storage
• Volume of water per unit change in
pressure:
 Densities
• Freshwater: 1000 kg m-3
• Seawater: 1025 kg m-3
• Freshwater: 0 mg L-1
• Seawater: 35,000 mg L-1

d 1025  1000 kg m 3
 3
 0.714
dC 35 kg m
Flow Equation
Darcy’s law
CDE
Program Flow
 Benchmark Problems
• Box problems (Voss and Souza, 1987)
• Henry problem (Voss and Souza, 1987)
• Elder problem (Voss and Souza, 1987)
• HYDROCOIN problem (Konikow and
others, 1997)
Henry Problem
Henry
Hydrocoin
 Elder Problem
Salt Source

E
C=0
E/H=4
H Temperature-induced buoyancy
Solute-induced buoyancy
L/H=2

C=1
L

Heater

Elder, J. W. (1967) J. Fluid Mech. 27 (3) 609-623

Voss, C. I., W. R. Souza (1987) Wat. Resour. Res. 23, 1851-1866
 Elder Problem
L
C=1

C=0
E

// Controlling parameter

Elder, J. W. (1967) J. Fluid Mech. 27 (3), 609-623

 Elder Problem
L
C=1

C=0
E

// Controlling parameter

Elder, J. W. (1967) J. Fluid Mech. 27 (3), 609-623

 Results

Year 1 Year 2 60%

20%

Thorne & Sukop (2004)

Elder (1967)

Year 4 60% Year 10

60%
20%

20%

Year 15 Year 20
20%
60%
20%
60%

Notes
• No fully accepted results (computer or lab).
• Maybe no unique solution.

Elder, J. W. (1967) J. Fluid Mech. 27 (1), 29-48

Elder, J. W. (1967) J. Fluid Mech. 27 (3), 609-623
Woods, J. A., et al. (2003) Wat. Resour. Res. 39, 1158-1169
Thorne & Sukop Results
80%
60% 80%
Year 1 40%
20% Year 2 60%
40%
20%

Thorne & Sukop (2004)

Frolkovič & De Schepper (2001)

80%
Year 4 80%
Year 10
60% 60%
40%
20%

40%
20%

Year 15 Year 20 80%

80%

80%

80%
60% 60%
40% 40%
20% 20%

Frolkovič, P., H. De Schepper (2001) Adv. Wat. Res. 24, 63-72

 Thorne & Sukop Results (year 15)
Year 15
Thorne & Sukop (2004)
Elder (1967)
20%

60%

Year 15
Thorne & Sukop (2004)
Frolkovič & De Schepper (2001) 80%

80%

80%
60%
40%
20%