Analysis of seepage flow in a confined aquifer with a standing column well1

The standing column well for ground source heat pump systems is a promising technology with high efficiency and environmental benefit, where groundwater is drawn from the bottom of a well and then re-injected to its top after transferring heat with heat pumps. Heat transfer analysis of great significance and aquifer involves complex problems. Determining the groundwater seepage flow is a precondition to solve the energy equation describing the heat transfer of the system. Only when piezometric head is obtained, the seepage velocity can be determined according to Darcy's law. In this article the groundwater seepage flow in an axial symmetrical geometry was studied under the assumption that gross groundwater flow is neglected. An analytical solution of the groundwater seepage flow for a confined aquifer was acquired by using the integral transform method, which may provide a foundation for heat transfer analysis of the standing column well system.