title: Assessment of multi-gate interceptors equipped with baffles in contaminated aquifers.
abstract: Funnel-and-gate structures with three gates, two funnels (collinear with gates), and two perpendicular flow-directing vanes (baffles) were assessed for capturing contaminated groundwater in a hypothetical unconfined aquifer. Simulated structures, anchored into an underlying aquiclude, were 35 m wide. One 5-m wide gate occupied the center, and two 3-m wide gates occupied the ends, of each structure. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous (with respect to hydraulic conductivity) aquifers were modeled, with baffles at various positions along funnels in alternative configurations. A contaminant transport model, accounting for advection and hydrodynamic dispersion, tested the capability of various structures for capturing contaminant plumes. Based upon modeling results: (1) structures with baffles performed up to 17% better (homogeneous case), but also up to 48% worse (heterogeneous case), than structures without them; (2) the most effective baffles generally occupied interior portions of funnels; and (3) small (1-m) shifts in the locations of baffles resulted in up to a 33% increase (homogeneous case) in remediation timeframe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environmental Science Program, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305279, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA. hudak@unt.edu
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Hudak
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D014872:Water Movements; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants