A model for non-isothermal flow and mineral precipitation and dissolution in a thin strip (Q2352324)

The authors derive a hydrodynamical model for mineral precipitation and dissolution in a thin strip, with a variable thickness depending on chemical interaction between the fluid and the boundary. The equations describing the model are the standard conservation laws (total mass, momentum, energy) together with the concentrations of two types of ions allowed to react chemically. Finally, the problem is a free boundary one as reactions (precipitation or dissolution) may affect the shape of the boundary. As the thin strip represents a fracture in a rock, this model is relevant for geothermal reservoir modelling. Considering that the ratio \(\epsilon=\frac{\ell}{L}\) (\(\ell\) is the thickness of the strip and \(L\) its length) is small, an \(\epsilon\)-expansion is performed, leading to a \(1D\) effective model suitable for simulations.