A new approach to the definition of design criteria for radial collector wells in anoxic settings

The outcomes of a study on groundwater flow from a river to a radial collector well are presented in the paper. The considered well, RB-16, is part of a groundwater source that provides water supply to Belgrade (Serbia). The source relies on the alluvial aquifer of the Sava River. The groundwater is mildly anoxic (Eh ~ 125 mV, Fe2+ = 0.46 mg/L, NO3 ~ 0.24 mgN/L, O2 ~ 0.1 mg/L). The paper is specific in the sense that it presents a novel approach to the definition of water well susceptibility to iron incrustation in an anoxic alluvial setting. Maximum permissible screen entrance velocities, as well as the structural characteristics of the horizontal screens and the radial collector well itself, are determined based on correlations established between the rate of well incrustation, redox potential, iron concentration in groundwater, and screen entrance velocities. One of the criteria is that the hydraulic resistances, caused by the precipitation of iron on the horizontal screens, are being lower than specified. The correlations between maximum permissible screen entrance velocities (the velocities that still allow a lower-than-specified increase in local hydraulic resistances at the entrance to the screens) and biochemical indicators (Eh, Fe2+) were taken from previous papers by the same authors and their associates. Original software was used for hydraulic analysis of the potential capacity of the location of well RB-16. The software supports 3D analysis, including boundary conditions, and was adapted for this particular purpose.

Semi-analytical 3D solution for assessing radial collector well pumping impacts on groundwater–surface water interaction

We present a new semi-analytical flow and transport model for the simulation of 3D steady-state flow and particle movement between groundwater, a surface water body and a radial collector well in geometrically complex unconfined aquifers. This precise and grid-free Series Solution-analytic element method approach handles the irregular configurations of radial wells more efficiently than grid-based methods. This method is then used to explore how pumping well location and river shape interact and together influence (1) transit time distribution (TTD) of captured water in a radial collector well and TTD of groundwater discharged into the river and (2) the percentage of well waters captured from different sources. Results show that meandering river shape plays a significant role in controlling the aforementioned metrics and that increasing the pumping rate has different consequences in different situations. This approach can also inform the design of water remediation and groundwater protection systems (e.g., river bank filtration and well head protection area).

Comparative assessment of radial collector well elements with a new approach

In radial collector well design or rehabilitation it is extremely important to define the capacity of the location and the long-term sustainable discharge of the well. Where incrustation occurs, groundwater entrance velocities at horizontal screens also need to be determined. At Belgrade Groundwater Source, maximum permissible screen entrance velocities are correlated with the oxic state of the aquifer, expressed via the redox potential, and the concentration of bivalent iron in the groundwater. The entrance velocities limit the rate of screen incrustation and are based on the maximum permissible increase in local hydraulic resistance at the screens. This is a novel approach on a global scale. In the case of anoxic groundwater, the derived permissible entrance velocities are much lower than estimated by standard, commonly used methods. The new approach is believed to be a significant contribution to well design. Jaroslav Cerni Institute for the Development of Water Resources (JCI) has developed software for estimating 3D groundwater flow, which relatively easily and realistically simulates horizontal screens and riverbed configuration and conductivity. The software is an effective tool for determining the capacity of the location and of the radial collector well itself. It is especially useful where the aquifer system comprises a semi-permeable interbed between the water-bearing layer, in which the screens are emplaced, and the overlying strata. Acomparative hydrodynamic analysis of two wells at Belgrade Groundwater Source is presented in the paper. One of the wells (RB-16) clearly reflects the presence of a semi-permeable interbed, whereas the other (RB-46) does not.

Modeling of sorption and degradation of selected pharmaceuticals: Case study of Belgrade groundwater source

The application of a mathematical model that analyzes the transport of selected pharmaceuticals from the Sava River to a corresponding radial collector well at Belgrade?s groundwater source is assessed. The occurrence of the selected pharmaceuticals in surface water and the corresponding well was monitored from 2009 to 2015. The pharmaceuticals selected for the present study are carbamazepine, trimethoprim, and metamizole metabolites 4-AAA and 4-FAA. Transport is analyzed based on experimental data (sorption isotherms) and a field tracer experiment that includes injection of the selected pharmaceuticals. The analysis shows that sorption of carbamazepine is relatively low and that this pharmaceutical does not degrade under the studied conditions, so it is not possible to accurately determine the degradation half-life. Trimethoprim is detected in the Sava River with an average concentration 8.5 ng/L, but there is no positive detection in well Rb-16. The average concentration of 4-AAA in the surface water is 34 ng/L and of 4-FAA 13 ng/L. The average concentrations of 4-FAAand 4-AAA in the groundwater are in the range from 1 and 1.85 ng/L. The objective of the research is to use an existing hydrogeologic model and apply a transport model to determine the minimum degradation half-life of the investigated pharmaceuticals.