Differences in subsurface migration of LNAPL/DNAPL contaminants caused by a selection of 3-phase (aqueous, NAPL, and gas) relative permeability function (RPF) models in numerical modeling were investigated. Several types of RPF models developed from both experimental and theoretical backgrounds were introduced prior to conducting numerical modeling. Among the RPF models, two representative models (Stone I and Parker model) were employed to simulate subsurface LNAPLs/DNAPLs migration through numerical calculation. For each model, the spatiotemporal distribution of individual phases and the mole fractions of 6 NAPL components (4 LNAPL and 2 DNAPL components) were calculated through a multi-phase and multi-component numerical simulator. The simulation results indicated that both spilled LNAPLs and DNAPLs in the unsaturated zone migrated faster and reached the groundwater table sooner for Stone I model than Parker model while LNAPLs migrated faster on the groundwater table under Parker model. This results signified the crucial effect of 3-phase relative permeability on the prediction of NAPL contamination and suggested that RPF models should be carefully selected based on adequate verification processes for proper implementation of numerical models.

Keywords: NAPL transport, Numerical modeling, Three-phase relative permeability, Media characteristics