Hydraulics of recirculating well pairs for ground water remediation

Recirculating well pairs are a proven means of implementing bioremediation and may also be useful for applying other in situ ground water remediation technologies. A bromide tracer test was performed to characterize the hydraulic performance of a recirculating well pair installed at Moffett Field, C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ground water 2004-11, Vol.42 (6), p.880-889
Main Authors: Cunningham, J.A, Hoelen, T.P, Hopkins, G.D, Lebron, C.A, Reinhard, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aquifers
Biodegradation, Environmental
Bioremediation
Bromides - analysis
Groundwater
groundwater contamination
groundwater flow
Hydraulics
hydrogeology
hydrologic models
mathematical models
Models, Theoretical
recirculating well pairs
remediation
Soil
United States
Water Movements
Water pollution
Water Purification - methods
Wells
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Summary:Recirculating well pairs are a proven means of implementing bioremediation and may also be useful for applying other in situ ground water remediation technologies. A bromide tracer test was performed to characterize the hydraulic performance of a recirculating well pair installed at Moffett Field, California. In particular, we estimate two important properties of the recirculating well pair: (1) the fraction of captured water that is recycled between the wells, and (2) the travel-time distribution of ground water in the induced zone of recirculation. We also develop theoretical estimates of these two properties and demonstrate they depend upon a dimensionless pumping rate, denoted xi. The bromide breakthrough curve predicted from theory agrees well with that determined experimentally at Moffett Field. The minimum travel time between the wells is denoted t(min). In theory, t(min) depends inversely on Q, the pumping rate in the recirculating wells, and is proportional to a2, the square of the distance between the wells. Both the experimental and theoretical travel-time distributions indicate that at least half the recirculating water travels between the wells along fast flowpaths (travel time < 2*t(min)). Therefore, when designing recirculating well pairs, engineers should ensure that t(min) will be sufficiently high to allow biologically mediated reactions (or other in situ remediation processes) sufficient time to proceed.
ISSN:0017-467X
1745-6584
DOI:10.1111/j.1745-6584.2004.t01-6-.x