Variation in time-to-compliance for pump-and-treat remediation of mass transfer-limited aquifers with hydraulic conductivity heterogeneity

Gungor-Demirci G., AKSOY A.

ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES, cilt.63, sa.6, ss.1277-1288, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 63 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2011
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s12665-010-0800-3
  • Dergi Adı: ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1277-1288
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Hydraulic conductivity, Heterogeneity, Correlation length, Pump-and-treat, Time-to-compliance, Remediation, GEOSTATISTICAL ANALYSIS, BORDEN AQUIFER, NONEQUILIBRIUM TRANSPORT, GROUNDWATER-MANAGEMENT, SPATIAL VARIABILITY, SOLUTE TRANSPORT, POROUS-MEDIA, SORPTION, DESIGN, FIELD
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

In this study, the impact of correlation length (lambda) of hydraulic conductivity (K) heterogeneity on pump-and-treat (P&T) remediation period (time-to-compliance) for a mass transfer-limited aquifer is evaluated. Additionally, impacts of variance (sigma (2)), different distributions of high and low K zones and different initial contaminant masses are explored. Two different P&T policies including different number of wells pumping at different rates are employed for the investigation. Simulation-optimization approach in which a genetic algorithm (GA) is linked with a groundwater flow and contaminant transport model is used. Results show that K heterogeneity, in terms of lambda (ln K), sigma(2)(ln) (K) and respective locations of low and high K zones, significantly impacts the time-to-compliance. Contaminant presence at low K zones can increase the time required to clean up the aquifer. Lower variation is observed in time-to-compliance for the remediation design utilizing higher number of wells pumping at slower rates compared to the design with a single well pumping at a higher rate. Higher number of wells increases the robustness of P&T remediation system when aquifer is heterogeneous in K.