Column test-based features analysis of clogging in artificial recharge of groundwater in Beijing

摘要

With the completion of South-North Water Transfer Project in China, plenty of high quality water will be transported to Beijing. To restore the groundwater level in Beijing, part of transferred water is planned to be used for artificial recharge. Clogging is an unavoidable challenge in the artificial recharge process. Therefore, a test is designed to analyse clogging duration and scope of influence and to test the reinjection properties of different recharge media. The test employs the self-designed sand column system with variable spacing and section monitoring, composed of four parts: Sand column, water-supply system, pressure-test system and flow-test system, to simulate the clogging of artificial recharge of sand and gravel pits. The hydraulic conductivity levels of all sand column sections are obtained to analyse the clogging of the injection of different concentrations in media of different particle sizes. In this experiment, two kinds of media are used–round gravel from sand and gravel pit in Xihuang village and the sand from sand and gravel pit by the Yongding River. The concentrations of recharge fluid are respectively 0.5 g/L and 1 g/L. The results show that clogging usually lasts for 20 hrs., and the hydraulic conductivity drops to the original 10%. Clogging usually occurs at 0–12 cm section of the sand column. The scope of influence is 0–60 cm. In column 3 and 4, whose average particle sizes are larger, section 20–50 cm also suffers from clogging, apart from section 0–12 cm. The effective recharge times are respectively 33 hrs. in column 1, 14 hrs. in column 2, 12 hrs. in column 3 and 12 hrs. in column 4. The larger the average particle size is, the quicker the clogging occurs. In media of larger particles, the change in suspension concentration does not have significant influence on the development of clogging. In conclusion, it is suggested that during artificial recharge, the conditions of reinjection medium should be fully considered and effective method of recharge be employed in order to improve effective recharge time.