Abstract:
Fractures serve as the main channels for rapid CO
2 diffusion and escape during sequestration in saline aquifers. While existing studies have focused on how fracture characteristics and chemical reactions affect CO
2 convective mixing, the specific mechanisms at each stage of CO
2 dissolution and sequestration are still not well understood. It is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of the overall impact of fractures on CO
2 transport and sequestration. This paper presents a new coupling simulation model for CO
2 convective–diffusion transport in fractured saline aquifers, developed using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.0. The numerical simulation analyzes how CO
2 convection–diffusion in fractured saline aquifers, focusing on the effects of fracture width, inclination angle, and combination characteristics on CO
2 convection and diffusion. It also examines CO
2 behavior in large-scale fractured saline aquifers with a discrete fracture network. The results show that fractures located in the middle of saline aquifers have a dual, time-dependent effect on CO
2 dissolution and diffusion, which becomes more pronounced as fracture width increases. Initially, these fractures enhance brine backflow, inhibiting CO
2 migration and disrupting the uniform development of CO
2 fingerings, leading to a decrease in CO
2 concentration. Over time, however, they become preferential channels for CO
2 migration, promoting its dissolution and storage capacity. In saline aquifers with fractures, the amount of dissolved CO
2 can increase significantly by 11.03% with a fracture width of 0.1 mm, and this increase continues as the fracture width increases. The CO
2 convective-mixing process is divided into three stages: rapid migration, relatively stable migration, and slow migration. The inclination angle and combination characteristics affect the CO
2 diffusion path and the location and intensity of saline backflow. In a single low-angle fracture, dissolved CO
2 migrates inward from both ends, with reflux occurring in the middle. By contrast, high-angle fractures caused dissolved CO
2 to migrate upward through the lower oblique end with more concentrated and stronger reflux at the upper oblique end compared to low-angle fractures. In aquifers with combined fractures, horizontal parallel fractures create backflow patterns similar to low-angle fractures. Intersecting fractures help reduce backflow in the smaller area above them, while inclined parallel fractures help reduce backflow at the upper end of high-angle fractures. In large-scale fractured saline aquifers, well-developed intersecting fractures serve as primary channels for CO
2 migration. They enhance the backflow effect in less developed or isolated fracture areas, inhibiting the formation of CO
2 fine fingerings and reducing their number. These fractures also accelerate CO
2 migration to deeper areas, improving its dissolution and storage. This work improves the understanding of CO
2 transport and sequestration mechanisms in fractured saline aquifers and offers valuable guidance for evaluating the safety of CO
2 sequestration in these environments.