Fundamental aspects of prolonged electrokinetic flows in kaolinites

Electrokinetic flows include the migration of fluid, chemicals, fine particles, bacteria, and electrons through a soil–fluid–chemical system driven by an externally applied direct-current (d.c.) electric field. The promising potential of electrokinetic remediation of contaminated fine-grained soils has stimulated recent interest in the study of electrokinetic flow processes, in particular the impact of a prolonged application of a d.c. electric field on fine-grained soils. The results of a bench-scale laboratory experimental investigation on some of the fundamental aspects of prolonged electrokinetic flows in kaolinites, including gas generation rates at power electrodes, electrochemical behaviour of the soil–fluid–chemical system, time variation of electric current intensity flowing through the soil, pH gradient development in the soil, effects of reservoir chemistry on electro-osmotic fluid volume flow rate and flow direction through the soil, time variation of electro-osmotic volume flow rate, and energy requirements per unit volume of fluid transported, are presented in this paper. Effects of soil type and pore fluid chemistry on these aspects were also studied.