With the cutting-edge devices, we focus on reactive flow-through experiments, measurements of rock petrophysical properties (such as porosity, permeability, saturation, relative permeability) and thermal properties (such as thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and heat capacity), and seismic attenuation and elastic moduli of rock samples.

The first reactive flow-through system built by Sanchez Technologies consists of a tri-axial core-holder, a double-pump coated with hastelloy, two single pumps coated with stainless steel, and a heating unit. This system works with up to 1000 bar and 200 °C. This is sufficient to study physical and chemical processes occurring in CO2 geological sequestration, enhanced geothermal system and hydrothermal circulations.

The second flow-through system consists of a X-ray transparent hydrostatic core-holder, a heating unit, water and vapour traps, three separators, and an oven. Together with the high-pressure high-precision pumps from the first flow-through system, the second flow-through system is built for investigations on mineral precipitation occurring in CO2 geological sequestration, enhanced geothermal system and hydrothermal circulations at conditions up to 1000 bar and 150 °C.

This lab equipped with an X-ray Computed Tomography (XRCT) scanner, financially supported by the SNF REquip Grant Nr. 177031, the Werner Siemens Foundation (Werner Siemens-Stiftung), and an ETH Zurich startup grant. This XRCT scanner offers imaging demands with a nominal resolution down to 2.5 micrometers for various materials. The XRCT scanner is featured with a horizontally-rotating gantry, bore by an air bearing, to support in-situ helical imaging of high-temperature and high-pressure experiments. For more information visit our XRCT website.