Vacuum induced remediation of subsurface contamination with horizontal wells

Assessment of contaminant migration and remedial options are crucial due to the increased environmental problems related with long term groundwater pollution. For contaminants lighter than water like petroleum remedial efficiency can be increased by simultaneously removing contaminated groundwater and the volatile compounds in horizontal wells. The optimization of such remediation systems require a thorough understanding of multiphase-flow processes in porous media. Yet it is unclear if this theoretical studies can lead to applicable design criteria. In order to asses the questioning involved in such approaches, two-phase (air-water) experiments have been carried out in a 7 m long flume. The current contribution will focus on the experimental set-up, flow parameter estimation and the numerical simulation of the flow processes observed in laboratory experiments.