My question probably has an obvious answer (in theory) - but might have real world nuances? Assume you have a standard well with typical increasing water flow with increasing depth and you want to use it as a return well in a standard 'pump and dump' setup. Does it matter if the discharge pipe in such a return well is at the top or bottom of the well with regard to getting the best 'return flow' back into the ground? Does the height of the water in the well increase any differently? Does the the depth of the well matter here? I immediately think it's obvious, but then I second guess myself here. Thanks to anyone who wants to take me to task here.
Hi and Welcome! Water wells are living things. They age and change based on usage. Groundwater travels very slowly in most areas, couple inches a year. Water seeks its own level. We are not exchanging gallons so much as we are exchanging btu's. Every aquifer has it's own quirks and behavior patterns. The amount of screen placed in a given well in the coastal plain has more to do with return, than the placement of the discharge. Just some basics to noodle on. Where are you located and what answer are you specifically looking for in regard to your location? Hope this helps Eric
I'd think you would want intake at the bottom and return at the top. In that manner, you will ensure that you are not recirculating already chilled water and getting fresher from the bottom.
Is it a standing column well? I read it to be a question about the return well for a 2 well system? Eric
I should explain: I have an open loop two-well geo-system with a pump in each well, using one for summer, the other for winter - neither is for potable water. Both run 14 gpm at about 25 psi at the Hx (a 5-ton FHP unit) with the discharge at the top of each well, and the pumps are both at about 120 ft down. The water table is about 23 ft down but comes up to about 10 ft on the discharge side when the system runs. Years ago I had a one pump system, but the discharge kept increasing with time till it got close to just 4 ft below ground level - started noticing more activity with my basement sump pump. That's when I decided I would put in a second pump - also on the ATES theory that the normal ground water temp would be higher for winter use and lower for summer (well, for about half of the season anynow). Several years later and no problems with either well now - I pump well over 3 million gallons a year. But, I often think about discharging at the bottom of the wells, on the theory that's where the pumps are and the ground flow could technically be better closer to them.
Based on the first two sentences of my original reply. Wells age and change based on usage. Rather than mess around with the discharge location, I would call a local pro and discuss the feasibility of getting the well re-developed to its original capacity. A rehab if you will. I am also going to hazard a guess that your wells are in fractured rock. If that is true, water enters and leaves your well all along the length of the bore, not just at the bottom. I would call Ed Powell well and pump to discuss as they are geo pro's in your area and see what their take on it is. Hope this helps Eric
