Simplified Model for Solution Mining of Salt Caverns

Various models on salt wall evolution during the leaching of underground salt caverns are available based on mathematical, analytical, and numerical approaches. The leaching rate of rock salt as a function of salinity based on a simplified model using the mass balance method is proposed for the evolution of underground salt caverns for both cylindrical and spherical shapes. Cavern shape with respect to varying time and flow rate is also presented. An example of leaching simulation performed by the proposed analytical solution is compared with the analysis performed through SALGAS software.