INV-FLOW: New Possibilities to Evaluate the Technical Condition and Function of Extraction Wells

Abstract

The declining supply of available groundwater resources is increasing the importance of extraction wells. To maximize the yield of extraction wells, the operators do not always respect the sustainable use of groundwater resources. These efforts can affect water quality and impact the service life of an extraction well, mainly through the clogging process. As part of the INV-FLOW project, an apparatus for evaluating the functionality of an extraction well by measuring the vertical water flow through its screen and filter was designed and tested. The apparatus consists of two electromagnetic induction flowmeters, two pneumatic seals, and a pump with the possibility of regulation. After an initial laboratory verification of the fundamental concept, the apparatus was successfully tested in real conditions. Two extraction wells, HJ-3 and HJ-4, intended for water supply to an agricultural production plant, were measured at a pilot site in the Czech Republic using the INV-FLOW apparatus. Although the HJ-3 extraction well is at the end of its service life, the HJ-4 extraction well is a newly installed well. In the new extraction well, HJ-4, a high proportion of water flowing through the gravel pack relative to the total pumping flow (93–97%) was measured using the INV-FLOW apparatus at different pumping rates. In the case of the HJ-3 extraction well, screen and filter clogging contributed significantly to the limited water flow through the gravel pack. In the most affected parts of the extraction well (15–20 m b.g.l.), the proportion of water flowing through the gravel pack relative to the total pumping flow ranged from 10 to 20%. The pilot tests confirmed the functionality of the apparatus and the possibility of using it to evaluate the degree of clogging and incrustation of an extraction well. The pilot tests thus demonstrated the usability of the INV-FLOW apparatus. The extraction well operator can assess the level of clogging or incrustation of the extraction well and decide on the need for the rehabilitation of an extraction well, or the termination of its operation.