To achieve net-zero emissions by the year 2050, carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies must be implemented to decarbonize sectors with hard-to-abate emissions. Pressurized chemical looping (PCL) with a novel reactor design called a plug flow with internal recirculation (PFIR) fluidized bed reactor is proposed as an attractive carbon capture technology to decarbonize small- and medium-scale emitters. The objective of this work was to examine solid circulation rate, gas leakage between reactors, and purge gas fate in a cold flow chemical looping facility. These parameters were used to better understand the PFIR reactor and will be used to validate a computational particle fluid dynamic (CPFD) model of the PFIR reactor to inform the reactor operation and design for a hot flow PCL pilot plant. An energy balance across the fuel reactor was used to determine the solid circulation rate of the bed material, while helium and argon tracer gases were used to determine the amount of gas leaking between reactor sections and the fate of the purge gas, respectively. Statistical analyses were completed to determine the statistical significance of the data. At the base case condition, the solid circulation rate was 3000 kg/h. Approximately 10% of the fluidizing gas that entered the air reactor moved to the fuel reactor indicating that, with reacting flow, there will be nitrogen infiltrating the fuel reactor, decreasing the purity of the carbon dioxide effluent stream. Furthermore, approximately 31% of the fluidizing gas entering the fuel reactor moved to the air reactor, indicating that, with reacting flow, there will be natural gas leaking into the air reactor, which will increase carbon dioxide emissions. Finally, over half of the purge gases move to the adjacent reactor, which helps prevent gas leakage between reactor sections. The effect of static bed height, weir opening height and purge configuration on solid circulation rate, gas leakage and purge fate were investigated. The bed height has a small effect on the solid circulation rate and no effect of gas leakage, over the range of bed heights tested. Furthermore, increasing the weir opening height increases both solid circulation rate and gas leakage until the top of the circulation zone is reached. After this point, there is no change in either solid circulation rate or gas leakage. In terms of purge configuration, there appears to be no benefit for having two purge rows. Either one purge row or having a row of blanked tuyeres appear to be optimal as they decrease gas leakage, while having little effect on solid circulation rate. At the jet velocity tested, the vertical purge configuration prevented the solids from circulating, so it is not recommended for this purge configuration to be used in a PFIR reactor without further testing of different jet velocities. Across all configurations, it was shown that as more purge gas moves into the adjacent reactor section, less gas leakage between reactor sections occurs. It iii was also determined that the primary method of gas movement between the reactor sections is likely via bubbles and/or jets. The next step is to complete the validation of CPFD model of the PFIR reactor using the data presented herein. Additional conditions can also be run in the cold flow chemical looping pilot facility to fill in any gaps that are found during the CPFD model validation, or to fill in research gaps in better understanding the PFIR reactor.

Carbon capture and sequestration are considered to be a temporary fix to the climate change global crisis. Following the noble gas tracers injection field experiment at Salt Creek in the state of Wyoming, USA, these tracers may be used to characterise the reservoir as a potential geological sequestration site for carbon dioxide. This study aims to investigate various thermodynamics properties of the five noble gases (Xe, Kr, Ar, Ne, and He) in n-decane at reservoir conditions (340 K – 460 K and 10 MPa – 200 MPa). The study utilises the SKS force field to describe n-decane and both Gibbs Ensemble Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the solubility, diffusivity, and vapour-liquid equilibrium of the five binary mixtures. The size of the noble gases was found to be important in these nonpolar mixtures where typical interactions are weak and short-ranged. The enthalpies of solvation were calculated and found to be directly correlated to the size of the solute where the energy required for the formation of a cavity to accommodate the solute is compensated by the nature of the intermolecular interaction between solvent and solute. The mixture of Ar + n-decane is of interest particularly because the sigma value for Ar is very similar to that of the CH3 group, resulting in the overall non-mononicity of several thermodynamics properties. Additionally, maxima in enthalpies of solvation were observed in Xe and Kr in n-decane solution at 200 MPa. While these maxima were observed in two different species at similar conditions, they are accommodated by unusually high uncertainties - further investigation is required before definitive conclusions can be drawn. The results from the vapour-liquid equilibrium study of the five noble gas + n-decane binary mixtures were in good agreement with the Peng-Robinson equation of state predictions. What is more, the diffusion coefficient ratios amongst the five noble gases in n-decane were investigated in light of Stoke-Einstein’s relation and Enskog’s hard-sphere relation. Three different radii of solute-solvent interaction were investigated and the best fit was observed when R =radius of solute + radius of gyration of n-decane. Additionally, the diffusion coefficients were utilised in the reservoir simulation to investigate the role of diffusion within the reservoir.

Le stockage géologique du carbone est l’une des techniques les plus prometteuses pour réduire le taux de CO₂ dans l’atmosphère. La séquestration géologique possède la capacité et la longévité potentielles pour diminuer les émissions de CO₂ vers l’atmosphère. Dans le cadre d’injections à l’échelle industrielle, les réservoirs carbonatés peuvent faire partie des sites aptes à stocker du CO₂. Toutefois, ces injections à grandes profondeurs sont sujettes à des risques de fuites du piège géologique lui-même ou des infrastructures liés à l’exploitation du site de stockage. Ainsi, il existe principalement deux types de fuite : brutale et diffuse. Dans les deux cas, elles sont susceptibles d’entrainer des risques pour l’environnement et de mettre en danger les populations. Il est ainsi nécessaire de développer des outils capables de prévenir une fuite de CO₂ quel que soit son type. Par ailleurs, il est particulièrement indispensable de comprendre les mécanismes de transport réactif qui rentrent en jeu lors de l’arrivée de cette fuite en contexte de proche surface (zone vadose) et ainsi d’essayer d’étudier comment cette fuite peut s’amortir. Ces travaux de thèse traitent donc de la caractérisation, de la quantification et de la modélisation des processus de transferts et des interactions CO₂-H₂O-CaCO₃ dans la zone vadose en contexte de fuite à partir d’un puits de forage. Cette problématique a été d’abord abordée par une approche expérimentale sur un site pilote à Saint-Emilion. Puis, les interactions CO₂-H₂O-CaCO₃ ont été étudiées au travers d’une approche expérimentale à l’échelle de la carotte en laboratoire. L’approche expérimentale a conduit à la réalisation de deux fuites dans la zone vadose du site pilote : une fuite diffuse et une fuite ultra diffuse. Elles furent réalisées dans la continuité des expériences qui avaient déjà eu lieu auparavant. Une comparaison de l’ensemble des fuites a montré la nécessité d’utiliser des gaz nobles comme précurseurs de l’arrivée en surface du CO₂. Selon le type de fuite, l’hélium peut servir de précurseur temporel du CO₂, tandis que le krypton prévient de l’étendue du panache de gaz durant la fuite. Plus la pression d’injection du CO₂ est importante et plus le gaz migre par advection. Par ailleurs, une pression d’injection importante favorise l’existence de passage préférentiel dans la zone vadose. L’utilisation d’isotopes tels que ceux de l’hélium et du carbone permet de mettre en évidence la présence locale de phases aqueuses dans le massif et de déterminer l’origine biologique ou anthropique du CO₂. Les expériences à l’échelle de la carotte permettent d’estimer le pouvoir tampon des calcaires oligocènes en fonction du faciès de la roche. La perméabilité et la porosité de celle-ci conditionnent la dissolution des calcaires. De même, la réactivité des carbonates en contexte de fuite dépend du pH de la phase aqueuse, du débit qui traverse le réseau poreux, de la saturation en eau et des caractéristiques pétro-physiques des carbonates. / Carbon storage is one of the most encouraging methods to decrease CO₂ concentration into the atmosphere. Carbon storage provides the longevity and the capacity needed to decrease CO₂ emissions toward the atmosphere. When dealing with storage on an industrial scale, carbonated reservoirs can be among the most suitable storage sites. However, these high depth injections are subject to leakage risks from the geologic trap itself or from the framework created by the establishment of the site. Two main types of leakage exist: brutal and diffusive leakage. In both cases, they are likely to endanger the environment and the population. Therefore, it is essential to develop tools that are able to anticipate any types of CO₂ leakage. Furthermore, it is also necessary to understand the reactive transport mechanism that take place when the leakage arrives in the shallow subsurface (vadose zone)and to see how the leakage can be buffered. This work deals with the characterization, the quantification and the modelling of transfer processes and CO₂-H₂O-CaCO₃ interactions into the vadose zone in a context of a leakage from a drilling well. This issue was first dealt through field experiment on the site of Saint Emilion. Then, the CO₂-H₂O-CaCO₃ interactions were studied through an experimental approach in laboratory. Two leakage experiments were performed on the site: a diffusive leakage and an ultra-diffusive leakage. They were performed as a sequel of former experiments carried on the pilot site. A comparison of all the leakage experiments revealed the necessity to use noble gases as precursor of the CO₂ arrival at the surface. Depending of the type of the leakage, helium can be a temporal precursor while krypton can anticipate the spread of the CO₂ gas plume. The higher the injection pressure, the more the gas migrates through advective flux. Moreover, a high injection pressure favors the existence of preferential paths in the vadose zone. The use of helium and carbon isotopes makes it possible to reveal the presence of a local aqueous phase within the porous media and to identify the origin of CO₂. The core scale experiments lead to the estimation of the buffering power of Oligocene limestone according to the rock facies. The permeability and the porosity influence the dissolution of the limestone. The reactivity of carbonates during a leakage depends on the pH of the aqueous phase, the flow rate that goes through the porous media, the water saturation and petrophysical characteristics of the carbonates.