Course description
Wells Hydraulics
Groundwater is the water beneath the ground surface. It is a vast freshwater reservoir often overlooked because invisible, yet 1000 times greater than all lakes and rivers. The Earth is blue for its oceans, but green for the freshwater under our feet. Half of the world’s population rely on groundwater for drinking and almost half of the irrigated land now depends on groundwater, a ten-fold increase in the past 50 years. In order to use the water from the ground, we first have to extract it! This course introduces wells hydraulics. Wells are used to provide groundwater for domestic, agricultural or industrial uses. Wells are also used in applications to control groundwater flow and contamination. Pump and treat systems are designed to extract contaminated water before it can be treated. The treated water is released to the environment, sometimes using recharge wells that can replenish aquifers. Wells can also control salt intrusions in coastal environments or the water table level at a construction site.
This course addresses questions such as:
- How exactly do we extract groundwater?
- How do we know if an aquifer can provide enough water?
- How do we model underground flow to wells?
- How can we use wells to remove water from construction sites or water-logged fields?
Upcoming start dates
Who should attend?
Prerequisites:
None
Training content
Week 1: Steady Flow to well
We start with the description of radial coordinates and steady flow to wellsin confined and unconfined aquifers. We also introduce finite difference methods.
- Steady Flow to Well
- Radial Coordinates
- Steady Flow to Confined Well
- Finite Difference
Week 2: Transient Confined and Semi-Confined Flows
We describe transient flows in confined and semiconfined aquifers. We use graphic methods and semi-automated methods to calculate aquifer properties from well tests.
- Transient Confined Flow
- Transient Confined
- Transient Confined: Graphic Method
- Transient Confined: Straight Line
- Transient Leaky Confined
Week 3: Transient Unconfined Flows
We continue to describe well tests in unconfined aquifers to calculate unconfined aquifer properties. We also introduce slug tests and their analysis.
- Transient Unconfined
- Slug Tests:
- Cooper Method
- Hvorslev Method
- Bouwer and Rice
Week 4: Well Fields and Dewatering
We start by reviewing the superposition principle and review the problem of domain boundaries. We then focus on dewatering examples.
- Wells Fields
- Superposition Principle
- Boundaries
- Dewatering
Week 5: Pump and treat / Capture Zones and MODFLOW models
We continue to explore the topic of well fields in the context of extraction and injection wells. We show an example of pump and treat design and an in-situ remediation design. We also show an example of a well model in MODFLOW.
- Pump and Treat/ Capture Zones
- MODFLOW
Course delivery details
This course is offered through Purdue University, a partner institute of EdX.
3-5 hours per week
Costs
- Verified Track -$750
- Audit Track - Free
Certification / Credits
What you'll learn
Describe the steady-state flow to wells in confined and unconfined aquifers
- Explain the correspondence between linear and radial coordinates
- Derive the flow equations for steady flow to wells
- Build simple aquifer models
- Apply the flow equations to estimate aquifer parameters
- Design wells for steady water supply
Describe the unsteady flow to wells in confined, semi-confined and unconfined aquifers
Explain what well functions are
Use graphical methods to calculate transmissivity
Compare the (transient) flow behavior in (semi)confined and unconfined aquifers
Explain slug tests
Contrast slug tests and well tests
Choose the appropriate analysis to calculate aquifer properties from slug tests
Model aquifers and wells
Apply analytical methods to steady state flows
Use finite difference methods to model aquifers and wells
Use computer models to automate calculations
Relate mathematical models to numerical models such as MODFLOW
Explain how well fields work
Apply flow equations for multiple wells
Explain how boundaries can be modeled with multiple (imaginary) wells
Plan dewatering systems
Interpret pump and treat systems from a hydraulics perspective
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