Groundwater Pumping Systems Research Articles

Submersible solar powered pump system design for sustainable agriculture using

Current climate change has many implications for people's livelihoods, one of which is the lack of seasonal rainfall, leading to drought, which in turn reduces agricultural yields. Therefore, people have to plant dry season crops, and in the dry season, crops have to rely on water from rivers and streams. But some areas where there is no stagnant water or stagnant water are very dry. So, our team did experimental research and studied the feasibility of using solar groundwater pumping systems in agriculture. It will cover the design, control, and know the strengths and weaknesses of the system, and its suitability to be used in our country, especially in the eight Northern provinces. In this research, we designed and used a Submersible solar-powered pump system, after installation, the system will work automatically without the need to turn it on and off. The panel size used is 330 watts, two panels serial connection for a total of 660 watts; the Submersible solar-powered pump is 400 watts, 48 voltages, Automatic control system, Groundwater depth 68 meters, the diameter of the surface pipe 0.1 meters, The diameter of the suction pipe has a cross-sectional area of 0.025 meters. Experimentation shows the water pump deep at 30 m can absorb more water than 25 m deep. The capacity of the system to be used for agriculture in one day can use 6.13 m3 of water, which is enough for cultivation in an area of 8,000 m2 or more, depending on the type of crop grown. The power generated per day is 3,142 W and is used at 3.14 kWh per day as well or 94.24kWh per month which is sufficient for the use of the system. In cash compared to the electricity consumption from the Electricity du Laos is 39,000 LAK per month. The maximum amount of water collected is 6.13 m3 per day or 184 m3 per month, which is 646,644 LAK per month compared to the water supply system, in the analysis of the cost of installation is 31 months or 2 years and 7 months.

Geospatial model for allocating favorable plots for groundwater-dependent cultivation activities in Egypt

Moving towards horizontal expansion in the vast barren lands to alleviate overpopulation along the Nile River is imperative to Egypt’s 2030 sustainable development strategy. Accordingly, a mega reclamation project was advocated with a key goal of achieving food self-sufficiency. Solar-powered groundwater pumping system was adopted as the main water supply. Planning efforts are therefore inevitable to help locate the most favourable sites for such extensive cultivation activities. Herein, a multicriteria decision analysis was conducted to facilitate the zoning of potential rural communities across the northern portions of the Western Desert of Egypt. For this purpose, data of groundwater exploration, soil characterization, terrestrial accessibility, insolation intensity, and terrain information were fused to produce a high-resolution suitability map. The analytical hierarchy process approach was adopted to set the weighted importance of adopted criteria. The study area was categorized into Best, Good, Moderate, Fair, Poor, and Restricted classes at 1.7%, 13%, 42.6%, 26%, 10%, and 3%, respectively, of the entire region, while the constrained plots were masked out. The implemented and proposed wells fields within the underway national rural development project extend over agriculturally suitable pixels affirming the validity of the developed geospatial model. About 1.5 million ha, representing 7.2% of the undeveloped area, were found to be highly suitable for future expansion of agribusiness activities. The generated priority map will assist the decision-makers in the planning procedures for ongoing reclamation activities throughout Egypt.

A 600 W Photovoltaic Groundwater Pumping System Based on LLC Converter and Constant Voltage MPPT

The work consists of the development of a market-friendly 600 W photovoltaic battery-less water pumping system. The system is composed of four 280 Wp solar panels, an auxiliary 10 W solar panel, a three-phase converter and a ½ horsepower (hp) submersible water pump. The electronic stage involves a resonant DC-DC converter in series with a voltage source three-phase inverter. The novelties of this work are related to the use of a resonant DC-DC converter with fixed duty-cycle and frequency for water pumping application, the use of Silicon Carbide Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) for solving converter startup issues, and the use of a constant voltage maximum power tracking (MPPT) algorithm with auxiliary panels. The work displays the design of the converter, simulation and experimental results, discussions, and cost evaluation. The feasibility of the system is studied for the water requirements of a beef cattle farm in Brazil.

Assessment of installation suitability of a vertical closed loop ground source heat pump system in regional scale

Installation suitability of a vertical closed loop GSHP system in the Echigo Plain of Japan was assessed considering the regional scale groundwater flow and heat transport analysis. For evaluating and understand the variation of development potential of the system, the necessary length of ground heat exchanger (GHE) was analyzed at different points, where groundwater, geology and subsurface temperature distribution varies. The computation was done for the model case of the Japanese single-family dwelling with reference to standard for energy saving in Japan. The necessary length of GHE ranged from 67 m to 101 m within the plain and found comparatively longer at the central coastal area around the Niigata City. These results showing the variation of the necessary length of GHE in the plain scale is significant and essential for the proper design and site selection of the system in the Echigo Plain, and can also be beneficial for the development of GSHP system in Japan. Influence of the existing groundwater pumping system was also evaluated to determine if the pumping system can enhance heat exchange performance for space-heating. The effect of groundwater pumping was not so significant to improve heat exchange rates due to the natural existence of groundwater flow.

Feasibility of Solar-Powered Groundwater Pumping Systems in Rural Areas of Greater Giyani Municipality (Limpopo, South Africa)

Rural areas in Limpopo Province (South Africa) are in urgent need of interventions for safe and secure water supply to adapt to climatic changes and the increased frequency of droughts. A feasibility study was conducted for the adoption of solar-powered groundwater pumping systems and Multiple Water Use Services (MUS) in Greater Giyani Municipality (Limpopo). Stakeholder engagement, geotechnical data and socio-economic information were used in the feasibility study. The Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) tool (GIZ and FAO, 2021) was used to design solar-powered shallow groundwater pumping systems at nine case study sites: four villages (water supply for domestic use) and five small-scale farms. Given the technical design configurations, peak water requirements ranged from 28.8 to 58.9 m3/d, peak power requirements from 1.2 to 3.4 kWp and required solar panel surface areas from 8.0 to 22.3 m2. Viable financial mechanisms for the operation and maintenance of MUS are leasing, cooperatives, informal saving groups and pay-per-use. The adoption of the technology appears to be financially and technically viable to augment the water supply. However, groundwater levels will have to be monitored and water purification plants for drinking water will have to be established to ensure long-term sustainability.

Microgrids through the Energy-Water-Food Security Nexus in La Guajira, Colombia: Increasing water and food security or jeopardizing groundwater levels?

This study analyses the impacts of small-scale renewable energy technologies on Colombian rural indigenous communities in La Guajira through an Energy-Water-Food Security (EWF) Nexus lens. Due to the high-water scarcity in the region, special attention lays on identifying the water-related trade-offs when increasing access to energy technologies. Recognizing the importance of the indigenous people's knowledge about their land, this research draws on semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and observatory research to underpin a comparative case study between individuals with access to wind energy, solar energy, and people lacking energy access. The renewable energy systems, especially the newer solar energy microgrids, significantly increase water and food access by powering groundwater pumping systems. However, groundwater depletion is becoming an increasingly growing issue where the systems have been using the same aquifer for several decades. Therefore, this study identifies a major trade-off when increasing access to groundwater resources in arid regions, mainly a growing risk of depleting the local aquifers. This has relevance for all development interventions aiming to increase the access to groundwater through renewable energy technologies in arid regions and allows for more holistic management and policy decisions to be taken.

Sustainability Analysis and Scenarios in Groundwater Pumping Systems: A Case Study for Tenerife Island to 2030

Groundwater pumping systems using photovoltaic (PV) energy are increasingly being implemented around the world and, to a greater extent, in rural and electrically isolated areas. Over time, the cost of these systems has decreased, providing greater accessibility to freshwater in areas far from urban centers and power grids. This paper proposes a novel sustainability analysis of the groundwater pumping systems in Tenerife Island as an example of a medium-size isolated system, analyzing the current status and the business-as-usual projection to 2030, considering the water reservoirs available and the final use of water. The 2030 projection focused on the PV deployment, evaluation of the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), and the availability of the groundwater resource. HOMER software was used to analyze the LCOE, and ArcGIS software was used for the visual modeling of water resources. As a result, the average LCOE for a purely PV installation supplying electricity to a pumping system in Tenerife is 0.2430 €/kWh, but the location and characteristic of each pumping system directly affect the performance and costs, mostly due to the solar availability.

Groundwater lowering for construction of the Kilsby Tunnel, UK – pumping and tunnelling

The Kilsby Tunnel, constructed in the 1830s under the direction of Robert Stephenson, faced severe problems when a section of the tunnel, almost 400 m long, was driven through water-bearing unstable ‘quicksand’ conditions. Contemporary methods were not well suited to tunnelling through such conditions, and in previous decades, several canal tunnels had been planned to specifically divert around expected ‘bad ground’, and others took years to complete at great expense. Stephenson’s team, drawing on their experience from the mining industry, did not take this approach and ultimately worked through the unstable ground, albeit with considerable delays and cost increases. This was achieved in part by establishing a large-scale groundwater pumping system, unique for the time, that lowered groundwater levels and stabilised the quicksand, which resulted from a buried channel of glaciofluvial sands, cut into bedrock, that had been missed by trial borings. Steam engines were used to pump from multiple shafts (including four dedicated pumping shafts, off set from the tunnel alignment), with a reported pumping rate of 136 l/s for several months. One unusual feature was the use of flatrod systems to transmit mechanical power horizontally; this allowed a single engine to drive pumps in several different shafts.

DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF SOLAR ENERGYPOWERD GROUNDWATER PUMPING SYSTEM FOR IRRIGATION FARM IN DESERT

In this study investigates the design of a solar-powered groundwater pumping system to irrigate desert lands in Najaf, Iraq. The water pumping rate was calculated for the land to be cultivated, which is 83.4 m³ / day. We designed an irrigation system for the three agricultural crops that depend on soil and water sensors in their work. Where a land area of 12500 m² was fed with water through two well pumps pumps (5.5 KW) and a tank (0.78 KW), the number of panels required to operate the irrigation system was 27 monocrystalline solar panels of N type 390 W. Matlab/Simulink and the theoretical results showed that the system can irrigate these lands, thus reducing the waste of electrical energy for the panels, and the purity of the water and air which gives us a green and beautiful space.

Groundwater pumping modeling for the sustainable management of urban water supply in Faisalabad city, Pakistan

Groundwater is considered as the primary source of urban water supply in major cities of the world. Rapid industrial development and increase in population have deteriorated the quality of groundwater of Faisalabad, Pakistan. The overexploitation of groundwater caused depletion of groundwater level, and evaluation of groundwater status has become critical for the sustainability of urban water supply. This paper’s main objective is to present the overexploitation effect on aquifer based on historical and existing groundwater situations, and future groundwater conditions are projected based on six different scenarios. The transient groundwater model was developed coupling Groundwater Vista with MODFLOW to simulate the impact of groundwater pumping on the Chenab River’s bed well field. Water table was calibrated and validated for 13 years (1992 to 2005) and 5 years (2006 to 2010), respectively, and model performance evaluation indicators, represented the model’s reliability for further application. Moreover, the steep gradient of the groundwater head contour was observed in the well-field’s southern area, and resultantly steady-state condition has been established. Future urban water supply conditions were projected by implementing six scenarios based on the groundwater pumping system’s existing capacity for 2030. With 90% pumping capacity, the system forecasted a decline in the water table from 0.6 to 1.3 m year−1, respectively. Groundwater recharge conditions evaluated and forecast results represented a drop of 0.45 m year−1 till 2030 during optimization. Factual and detailed information is projected for future scenarios based on existing developed models that explain groundwater pumping strategies for sustainable urban water supply management.

The Price of Sustainability of a Traditional Irrigation System in Northern Thailand

In recent years in northern Thailand, the traditional surface-water irrigation system known as muang fai has been challenged by the introduction of small-scale, groundwater pumping technology. This trend presents concerns about the sustainability of the system, as the new technology uses more water but produces lower-quality agricultural outputs. In this paper, we provide evidence that farmers who use relatively modern irrigation technology (ground water pumping systems) are willing to switch to a more traditional (hundreds of years old) and more sustainable surface water irrigation system. In the Sop Rong region in northern Thailand, we surveyed 570 longan farmers, approximately half being muang fai members and half using pumped groundwater. We designed an experiment for the second group to check whether they were interested in becoming muang fai members in a scenario where they have access to the canal system. We found that almost half of them were willing to pay fees to become members and that the negative relationship between membership fees and the willingness to join is robust after controlling for all other relevant factors. Despite this positive result for sustainability, suggesting that there is a price at which many farmers would be willing to switch to a more water-saving system, few farmers are making the shift. We conclude that there are strong social pressures that discourage them from doing so. Such social influences are probably an important and often overlooked determinant of efforts to achieve sustainability.

Energy and carbon footprints for irrigation water in the lower Indus basin in Pakistan, comparing water supply by gravity fed canal networks and groundwater pumping

Irrigation water can come from surface water or groundwater, or a combination of the two. In general, efforts to provide one type or the other differ depending on local circumstances. This study aims to compare energy and carbon footprints of irrigation water provided by either a gravity-fed irrigation network requiring maintenance or a groundwater pumping system. The case study area is the lower Indus basin in Pakistan. For the assessment, the study could make use of data from local governmental organizations. Energy footprints of surface water are 3–4 KJ/m3, carbon footprints 0.22–0.30 g/m3. Groundwater has energy footprints of 2100 for diesel to 4000 KJ/m3 for electric pumps and carbon footprints of 156 for diesel and 385 g/m3 for electric pumps. Although groundwater contributes only 6% to total irrigation water supply in the lower Indus basin, it dominates energy use and CO2 emissions. The total energy footprint of surface water in Pakistan is 0.5 103 TJ/y, and for groundwater 200 103 TJ/y or 4.3% of national energy use. The total carbon footprint of surface water is 36 106 kg/y, and for groundwater 16 000 106 kg/y or 9% of Pakistan’s total CO2 emissions. Although the contributions of water supply to total energy use and CO2 emissions are small, they could increase if more groundwater is used. A shift from groundwater pumping to properly maintaining gravity-fed canal systems decreases energy use and CO2 emissions by 31–82% and increases surface water availability by 3%–10%.

Anthropogenic influence on monthly groundwater utilization in an irrigation dominated Ganga river Sub-Basin

In the last three decades, the low-income and highly-populated Kosi River's alluvial plain have improved its agricultural production by adapting a million groundwater pumping systems. As the farmers have less land holding for agriculture activities, site-specific water, and nutrient management are adopted for agriculture production. The study represents the impact of intensified agricultural activities aided by additional groundwater pumping system over the groundwater recharge/pumping rate. We analysed groundwater utilization variation due to farmers' empowerment through the green revolution and adaption of a million-groundwater pumping system via satellite-based Actual Evapotranspiration (AET). Throughout the year, groundwater accessibility has reduced the study area's agricultural dependency on monsoonal rainfall and allowed agricultural activities all season. In this study, hydrological modelling with spatial input data from different sources estimated monthly groundwater recharge/pumping and its variation during wet/dry years. The observed groundwater recharge/ extraction was compared with the corresponding rainfall patterns and validated using measured seasonal groundwater depths. We present the relative change in groundwater recharge or extraction statistics using a set of standardized seasonal indices. Improved socio-economic condition and the risk of recurring floods/ droughts has increased the dependency on groundwater aided irrigation in the region. Since the farmers have to pay for pumping fuel, they opt for more efficient groundwater-aided agricultural activities, especially in dry years. This additional dependency on groundwater has significantly increased the annual groundwater extraction rate and reduced the area's net recharge.

Modeling the impacts of volumetric water pricing in irrigation districts with conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources

Water pricing has been identified as a generally valid water supply policy to help solve problems of water scarcity and competition. As for the non-agricultural sectors, in the last three decades water pricing has been widely discussed in and promoted with regard to the irrigation management, though in the actual practice its effectiveness is quite controversial. This is particularly true in semi-arid regions, where conjunctive use of collective facilities and on-farm groundwater pumps may cause conflicts and mismanagement of water resources. Under such circumstances, irrigation water pricing policies are not easy to deploy and implement effectively, due to potential occurrence of side and unintended effects. In this framework, the present work aims at investigating the impact at the district scale of water pricing policies, on both surface water (SW) and groundwater (GW) resources. In this regard, a model which deals with the analysis of farmers’ decision concerning water source selection is proposed. The analysis is carried out keeping capital asset as given, also with the aim to elicit the relevance of on-farm irrigation water cost on resources use during the irrigation season. Reference is made to an intensive agricultural district in Southern Italy, conjunctively supplied by collective schemes managed by the local irrigation board and on-farm individual groundwater pumping systems. The proposed model was built along with local stakeholders, in order to (i) underline the relationship between the water tariff applied for collective supply service and the irrigation source selection during the irrigation season; and (ii) the relevance of the conjunctive use of GW based on pumping cost convenience and service standards needed to fulfill the irrigation requirements. The results have been then integrated into a quantitative water balance model, and a scenario analysis used to show the potential side impacts that a restrictive SW tariff policy applied during drought periods may have on the GW state, in different hydrological conditions.

MCDM-based multidimensional approach for selection of optimal groundwater pumping systems: Design and case example

Herein, optimal groundwater pumping solutions based on a variety of energy resources and water storage options are estimated and classified. Each energy source and water storage option is first characterized considering energy, economic, and environmental criteria. A multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) process based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) is subsequently applied to identify and classify the optimal groundwater pumping solutions under such a multidimensional framework. An aquifer located in the southeast of Spain is analyzed in a case study to assess the proposed optimal MCDM-based approach. Conventional diesel-based equipment, solar PV power plants, and direct grid connection, as well as three water storage systems––direct pumping, seasonal storage, and annual storage––are identified as potential energy sources and water storage options, respectively. Characterization and visualization of these energy and water storage systems, as well as prioritized option results, are also discussed herein.

Hydrogelogical characterization of a waste rock pile and bedrock affected by acid mine drainage from geophysical survey

Mining activities are known for the profound changes they cause in the environment, especially those related to environmental liabilities generated by these enterprises. One major concern of this sector relies on the acid mine drainage (AMD) process, which is formed by the exposure of sulfide minerals to oxidizing conditions. As a result, the production of low-pH saline waters favors the mobilization of heavy metals to the environment. In the last decades, the characterization and monitoring of contamination plumes have become more feasible due to the application of geophysical tools, more precisely the DC resistivity geophysical method. Thus, the aim of the present study is the application of electrical resistivity tomography to understand the hydrogeological dynamic of a waste rock pile in the Osamu Utsumi uranium mine, with the identification of preferred groundwater and AMD flow. The analysis of the 2D geophysical products allowed the differentiation of high salinity water accumulation zones (< 40 Ω m) in the interior of the pile. Likewise, the evaluation of the pseudo-3D model generated by the interpolation of 2D sections was crucial for the recognition of low resistivity zones within the bedrock, possibly controlled by fractures that work as recharge zones between the waste rock pile and the fractured aquifer. The identification of discharge and recharge zones related to the fractures system is a fundamental step for planning and actions to prevent water–sulfides interaction process, which is responsible for the generation of AMD, and also the installation of groundwater pumping systems.

Life Cycle Assessment of Diesel Fuel and Solar Pumps in Operation Stage for Rice Cultivation in Tanta, Nile Delta, Egypt

This paper aims at using life cycle assessment (LCA) to assess the environmental impacts of groundwater pumping systems diesel fuel and solar power for lifting irrigation water for one feddan (1.037 acre) of rice. The study area lies in Tanta semi-arid central Nile Delta, Egypt. LCA via SimaProv8.04.30 is used to study the environmental impacts of pumping water using two types of pumping systems. Environmental impacts of diesel pump and solar pump systems are compared for different hydraulic head and area of rice cultivation scenarios. Results indicated that the diesel-powered pumping systems are more harmful to the environment than solar power pumps. The contribution to midpoint environmental impacts of the diesel fuel pump impacts reach 70% for natural resources, 18% for human health, 10% for climate change and 2% for ecosystem quality. On the other hand, solar pumping system contributes to 3% to climate change, 2% to human health and natural resources impacts, and 0.5% to ecosystem quality. The results confirm that for groundwater pumping, diesel fuel energy has the highest environmental impacts on human health, the ecosystem quality, climate change and resources depletion. It is highlighted that the type of power source must be considered when ranking pumping systems based on environmental performance.

Transmissivity as a Primary Metric for LNAPL Recovery—Case Study Comparison of Short‐Term vs. Long‐Term Methods

This article presents a case study and comparative analysis of light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) transmissivity estimated using short‐ and long‐term test methods at an active petroleum refinery. LNAPL transmissivity (Tn) is a recognized direct indicator of LNAPL recoverability with increasing acceptance by regulatory agencies. Historical releases at a refinery resulted in widespread LNAPL accumulations across the site and, as such, a focused approach is being implemented to enhance recovery, shorten remedial timeframes, and prioritize areas for recovery. Groundwater pumping systems operate continuously to maintain hydraulic containment of impacts, along with 12 LNAPL recovery systems. Transmissivity has been established as a primary metric and management tool for LNAPL recovery at the refinery. In this case study, estimated transmissivity values from short‐term data (baildown testing) and long‐term data (LNAPL skimming operations) from the same locations are analyzed and compared. Overall results are presented with respect to variations in transmissivities between the short‐ and long‐term tests, significance of data collection and quality, and consideration factors affecting transmissivity including fluid properties, soil types, hydrogeology, saturation levels, tidal effects, migration rates, and receptor risks. Additionally, the application of transmissivity as a metric for monitoring progress toward LNAPL recovery endpoints as part of the LNAPL remediation program development is discussed. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The International Engineering Service Program at the University of Iowa

The International Engineering Service Program at the University of Iowa (UI-IESP) has evolved immensely since 2003. The UI-IESP changed significantly in response to increases in financial resources from grants and gifts and through the creation of the Design With the Developing World (DWDW) service-learning course. Taught since 2006, the DWDW course has provided 185 students the opportunity to work in interdisciplinary teams to propose solutions to problems faced by people in the “developing world”. Since 2013, improvements to the DWDW course include a change in instructional format, the utilization of the Field Guide to Environmental Engineering for Development Workers, the integration of experiential workshops, and the UI-IESP partnership with Kobriti, Ghana. The Kobriti Partnership recently culminated in the construction of a solar-powered groundwater pumping system by the people of Kobriti with the assistance of a UI-IESP team that included three former DWDW students, a university shop staff member and a university research staff member. Using reflections written by students, the research staff member and the corresponding author, the UI-IESP was determined to be effective overall. Critiques of the UI-IESP highlighted the lack of a national affiliation, the use of a single advisor, the small international scope, the perception that the DWDW course was unable to fully prepare students, and the need for redundancy in communication planning. Lessons learned include “knowing by going”, being resilient, embracing unknowns, respecting indigenous knowledge, and always seeking partners. Best practices include diverse training for students, partnering for the long-term, identifying responsible parties, partnership reciprocity, and utilizing resources from the university, EWB-USA and/or ESW.

Environmental Impacts of Contrasted Groundwater Pumping Systems Assessed by Life Cycle Assessment Methodology: Contribution to the Water–Energy Nexus Study

AbstractMost studies on the environmental performance of irrigation have focused on the water–food–energy nexus, i.e. relationships between food production, water consumption and energy. However, water and energy are not the only relevant indicators of the environmental performance of irrigation systems. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a holistic method that is well suited to comprehensive assessment. This paper aims at using LCA to assess the environmental impacts of contrasted groundwater pumping systems in semi‐arid central Tunisia.In line with previous studies, our results confirm that for groundwater pumping, energy has the highest environmental impacts on human health, the ecosystem and resource depletion. Our work also highlights that along with pump efficiency, the type of power source must be considered when ranking pumping systems based on environmental performance.Indeed, diesel‐powered pumping systems are more harmful than electric pumps when electricity is generated from natural gas and diesel‐powered pump efficiency is low. However, the diesel pumping system becomes the best option when electricity is derived from coal and diesel‐powered pump efficiency exceeds 12%.Finally, water depletion has been shown of great importance in this study, and ongoing LCA improvements should facilitate a more comprehensive picture of these site‐specific impacts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.