Rock Mechanics
The facility for rock mechanics and flow in porous media hosts a range of experimental apparatus. High-performance cells are used for studying the mechanical and physical behaviour of rocks exposed to strain, temperature and fluid-percolation, and for quantifying deformation using gauges, extensometers and acoustic measurements. Hele-Shaw cells are available for measurement of migration fronts. The laboratory also provides associated PIV/PLIF measurement techniques (Particle Image Velocimetry/Plane Laser-Induced Fluorescence). These experimental approaches are combined with numerical techniques in order to develop computational codes for modelling coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical phenomena in continuous and discontinuous environments, and for resolving advection, diffusion and dispersion equations that incorporate adsorption and degradation phenomena in the case of mono- or di-phasic flow in porous environments.
Fluid-Rock Interactions
Studying the reactivity and stability of phases in fluid-mineral-solution-gas-organic-matter systems requires the application of geochemical techniques. For this, GeoRessources provides a set of hot- and cold-joint autoclaves for sampling under controlled pressure and redox conditions. Experiments are performed in batch-type reactors of various sizes: welded gold cells and stainless-steel and titanium chambers (with or without sapphire windows) equipped for in situ Raman and pH measurement. A secure laboratory is available for experiments using hazardous gases (SOx, NOx, H2, H2S, CO). Specific autoclaves (IMAGES, MIRAGES, COTAGES) have been designed for gas-injection applications with flow and thermal-gradient controls. Miniaturisation has enabled us to develop microchemistry capillary techniques which allow us to control volumes, pressures and temperature for the measurement of chemical solubility, kinetics and reactivity at the micrometric scale.