Modeling a Ground Water Circulation Well Alternative |
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| Authors: | Andrew Curtis Elmore Luca DeAngelis |
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| Institution: | Andrew Curtis Elmore;, Ph.D., P.E. (University of Missouri-Rolla, Department of Geological Engineering, 129 McNutt Hall, 1870 Miner Circle, Rolla, Missouri 65409–0420; 341–6784;fax 341–6935;), assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Rolla, was formerly the URS Group Inc. project manager for ground water remediation at the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant site. His areas of expertise include stochastic analysis of ground water remediation and the design of ground water circulation wells. Additional expertise includes uncertainty analysis applied to topics such as soil remediation, risk assessment, and financial performance. Luca DeAngelis;, P.E., R.G. (URS Group Inc., 10975 El Monte, Suite 100, Overland Park, Kansas 66211; 344–1165;fax 344–1011;), is a project engineer for URS Group Inc. He received a B.S. in geological engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla, and is presently completing an M.S. in civil engineering at the University of Kansas. His areas of expertise include numerical ground water modeling and ground water hydrology as applied to site remediation. He has worked for URS since 1999 on a variety of private and federal projects. |
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| Abstract: | Ground water circulation wells (GCWs) provide an appealing alternative to typical pump-and-treat ground water remediation systems because of the inherent resource-conservative nature of the GCW systems. GCW performance prediction is challenging because the consideration of extraction and recharge in a single well is unusual for most practitioners, the technology is relatively new, and a meaningful body of literature has not been published. A three-part evaluation process using state-of-the-practice numerical ground water flow and mass transport models was developed for application during GCW pilot studies at the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant site. A small-scale ground water flow model was developed during the pilot study planning process to predict the system performance and to locate performance-measuring monitoring wells. Key predictions included the capture zone predicted to develop upgradient of the GCW, the downgradierit GCW recharge zone, and the circulation zone centered on the GCW. The flow model was subsequently verified using ground water elevation data and contaminant concentration data collected during pilot study operation. Aquifer parameters were reestimated as a result of the verification process. Those parameter values were used as input to a larger scale model, which was used to develop a remedial alternative consisting of multiple GCW systems. |
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