Experimental study on water level and absorption capacity in a radial well flow in a loess area

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, the theoretical basis for flow calculation in an injection well was discussed. It proposed that the flow rate of an injection well could be calculated referring to pumping theory and method. A mathematical model of the rising curve of water level around a radial well was established and the equation for calculating the rising curve was given. The calculation equations selected for the water absorption capacity of injection wells were explained and examples were verified and compared. The results indicated that, under the same injection conditions, the water level value calculated by the analysis method was slightly larger, but the error between the analysis method and the semi-theoretical and semi-empirical methods was small. In the processes of steady flow injection and unsteady flow injection, there was a small difference of water absorption capacity, and the former was slightly larger. The measured values of water absorption capacity were only about one-third of the calculated values based on pumping theory. Overall, the analytical solution method for predicting the rising curve of water level has priority in well injection. The semi-theoretical and semi-empirical equation for calculating water absorption capacity sifted first has priority in steady flow injection, the equation sifted second has priority in unsteady flow injection.