Groundwater recharge through wells in open loop geothermal system: problems and solutions - part 1

Abstract

In the two parts of this article, the problems related to the management of water wells as part of a low-enthalpy geothermal power plant by means of heat pumps (open loop system) are described. In many cases, in absence of discharge in surface water and/or to ensure the conservation of the resource from a quantitative point of view, a doublet system constituted by a pumping and a recharge well is provided. The clogging phenomenon often occurs in this kind of plant, affecting wells with different functions and different thermal potential related to water withdrawal and reinjection into the ground. This phenomenon is due to the presence of air bubbles, suspended solids, bacterial growth and to the chemical-physical reactions that are described in the text. Besides acknowledging the activities for recharge wells management to avoid the fracturing of the drain and the cementation, is also suggested the procedure of in situ tests that are used to properly determine the optimal well discharge, which determines the efficiency and effectiveness of the geothermal system and its economic performance.It is finally shown a regional regulation on the water quality used in an open loop.