Hydrologic characterization of the unconfined aquifer at the General Motors Harrison Division Plant, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
General Motors (GM) is studying the feasibility of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) for air conditioning at their Harrison Division plant located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has assisted in this effort by conducting field tests to measure the hydraulic properties of the proposed ATES well field, which will be within the unconfined aquifer and adjacent to the GM plant. Results showed that in the vicinity of the test well, transmissivity was 2000 ft{sup 2}/d, effective aquifer thickness was 50 ft, effective porosity was 6.2%, hydraulic gradient was 0.005, and seepage velocity was 3.2 ft/d. A second test series at a newly constructed well was expanded to include measuring specific capacity and investigating the vertical distribution of flow within the aquifer. Specific objectives were to determine the injection capacity of the aquifer and to examine efficiency of the well design. Transmissivity was 2300 to 2600 ft{sup 2}/d, effective aquifer thickness was 58 ft, effective porosity was 6.0 to 8.0%, hydraulic gradient was 0.0047, and seepage velocity was 3.1 to 2.7 ft/d. Injection capacity, based on a step-injection test, was approximately 17 gpm/ft and was independent of flow rate within the experimental range 90 to 338 gpm. Maximum hydraulic conductivity occurred within the uppermost 20 ft of saturated sediments, which consisted of well-sorted sand. Below the sand, sorting was progressively poorer with depth, and hydraulic conductivity decreased smoothly. At the base of the aquifer, hydraulic conductivity was less than 10% of that of the uppermost 20 ft. 7 refs., 10 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 5783760
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-7641; ON: DE91011045
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Aquifer characterization at the Veterans Administration Hospital, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Hydrologic characterization of the unconfined aquifer at the University of Alabama Student Recreation Center, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Related Subjects
250600* -- Energy Storage-- Thermal
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
AIR CONDITIONING
ALABAMA
AQUIFERS
BROMIDES
BROMINE COMPOUNDS
CAPACITY
DEPTH
DESIGN
DIMENSIONS
DRAWDOWN
EFFICIENCY
EQUIPMENT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FEDERAL REGION IV
FIELD TESTS
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
FLUID INJECTION
GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANNING
POROSITY
SAND
STRATIGRAPHY
SURVEYS
TESTING
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
THICKNESS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
USA
WATER
WATER TABLES
WELLS