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Numerical Modeling of the Near‐Field Hydraulics of Water Wells
Author(s) -
Houben Georg J.,
Hauschild Sarah
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.2010.00760.x
Subject(s) - inflow , aquifer , hydraulics , dimensioning , hydraulic conductivity , geology , turbulence , laminar flow , flow (mathematics) , mechanics , geotechnical engineering , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , groundwater , soil science , engineering , physics , oceanography , aerospace engineering , soil water
Numerical flow models can be a useful tool for dimensioning water wells and to investigate the hydraulics in their near‐field. Fully laminar flow can be assumed for all models calculated up to the screen. Therefore models can be used to predict—at least qualitatively, neglecting turbulent losses inside the well—the spatial distribution of inflow into the well and the overall hydraulic performance of different combinations of aquifer parameters and technical installations. Models for both horizontal (plan view) and vertical flow (cross section) to wells were calculated for a variety of setups. For the latter, this included variations of hydraulic conductivity of the screen, pump position, and aquifer heterogeneity. Models of suction flow control devices showed that they indeed can homogenize inflow, albeit at the cost of elevated entrance losses.