Hyperfiltration of nickel sulphate solutions through silty sandstone and its effect on hydraulic conductivity

Hyperfiltration (reverse osmosis) and subsequent precipitation of minerals from the hyperfiltrated solution are processes that potentially decrease the hydraulic conductivity of porous media. These processes were demonstrated by hyperfiltrating NiSO4 solutions through fine-grained sandstone. The mineral precipitates occur in very small (mm sized) layers at the high-pressure side of the samples where they create zones of lowered hydraulic conductivity (2–3 orders of magnitude lower than initial). The total amount of precipitates is very small compared to the dissolved mass which was passed through the membrane. Hyperfiltration-induced precipitates and the resulting lowering of hydraulic conductivities were observed at solute saturations as low as 10%. Nevertheless, at saturations higher than 50% the conductivity reduction strongly increased. Full reversibility of the hydraulic conductivity reduction by extensive re-flushing with water was only obtained at low initial solute saturations (10%). This indicates that precipitated minerals in many pores are susceptible only to very slow, diffusion-controlled re-dissolution.