The in situ permeable flow sensor: A ground-water flow velocity meter
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Geophysics Dept.
A new technology called the In Situ Permeable Flow Sensor has been developed at Sandia National Laboratories. These sensors use a thermal perturbation technique to directly measure the direction and magnitude of the full three-dimensional ground-water flow velocity vector in unconsolidated, saturated, porous media. The velocity measured is an average value characteristic of an approximately 1 cubic meter volume of the subsurface. The sensors are permanently buried in direct contact with the formation at the point where the velocity measurement is to be made. While this deployment strategy means that the approximately $2,500 instruments are not recovered, borehole effects which can negatively influence the quality of the measurement are avoided. The sensors can be connected to a data acquisition system which can be monitored remotely, via modem and telephone connection, for extended periods of time. The technology is able to measure flow velocities in the range of 5 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} to 1 {times} 10{sup {minus}3} cm/s, depending on the thermal properties of the medium in which it is buried.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratory
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 201265
- Journal Information:
- Ground Water, Journal Name: Ground Water Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 34; ISSN GRWAAP; ISSN 0017-467X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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