Mass transfer correlations for nonaqueous phase liquid pool dissolution insaturated porous media

Correlations describing the rate of interface mass transfer from single-com ponent nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) pools in saturated subsurface formati ons are developed. A three-dimensional contaminant transport model is emplo yed to obtain overall mass transfer coefficients computed from concentratio n gradients at the NAPL-water interface. The model assumes that the porous medium is homogeneous, the interstitial fluid velocity is steady, and the d issolved solute may sorb under local equilibrium conditions. Furthermore, i t is assumed that the dissolved concentration along the NAPL-water interfac e is equal to the solubility concentration. Power law correlations relate t he overall Sherwood number to the appropriate overall Peclet numbers. Both rectangular and elliptic/circular source geometries are considered. The pro posed relationships are fitted to numerically determined mass transfer coef ficients, and the correlation coefficients are determined by nonlinear leas t squares regression. Good agreement between predicted and available experi mentally determined overall mass transfer coefficients is observed.