Hydrochemical changes induced by underground pumped storage hydropower: influence of aquifer parameters in coal mine environments
Estanislao Pujades
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Computational Hydrosystems, UFZ – Helmholtz Centre for
Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
Anna Jurado
Institute for Groundwater Management, Technische Universität
Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
Philippe Orban
Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Urban & Environmental Eng.,
University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Alain Dassargues
Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Urban & Environmental Eng.,
University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Related authors
Luciana Scrinzi, Sandra Pérez, and Estanislao Pujades
Adv. Geosci., 64, 41–44, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-64-41-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-64-41-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We examined how water quality in aquifers and streams varies along the Besòs catchment, and changes in streams during wet and dry periods. Analysis of water quality data (2013-2023) in open databases shows nutrients and salinity increase towards the outlet, and more markedly during dry periods. Since such dry periods may become more frequent with climate change in this Mediterranean basin, this highlights the importance of controlling pollution sources affecting water quality and availability.
Estanislao Pujades, Laura Scheiber, Marc Teixidó, Rotman Criollo, Olha Nikolenko, Victor Vilarrasa, Enric Vázquez-Suñé, and Anna Jurado
Adv. Geosci., 59, 9–15, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-9-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-9-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This paper explores the impact of low enthalpy geothermal energy (LEGE) on the behaviour of organic contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Specifically, we investigate the impact of LEGE on phenazone that is an analgesic drug commonly reported in urban aquifers. CECs pose a risk for the environment and human health, and thus, they must be eliminated to increase the available fresh-water resources in urban areas, where water scarcity is a matter of concern due to the population growth.
Estanislao Pujades, Philippe Orban, Pierre Archambeau, Sebastien Erpicum, and Alain Dassargues
Adv. Geosci., 45, 51–56, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-45-51-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-45-51-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The main concern of UPSH using abandoned mines is the water exchanges between the underground reservoir and the surrounding medium, which are relevant in terms of environmental impact and the system efficiency. This work is based in real abandoned slate mine and investigates how the geometry of the mine affects the groundwater exchanges and their associated consequences.
Luciana Scrinzi, Sandra Pérez, and Estanislao Pujades
Adv. Geosci., 64, 41–44, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-64-41-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-64-41-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We examined how water quality in aquifers and streams varies along the Besòs catchment, and changes in streams during wet and dry periods. Analysis of water quality data (2013-2023) in open databases shows nutrients and salinity increase towards the outlet, and more markedly during dry periods. Since such dry periods may become more frequent with climate change in this Mediterranean basin, this highlights the importance of controlling pollution sources affecting water quality and availability.
Diego Schmidlin, Laura Scheiber, Marc Teixidó, Enric Vázquez, Rotman Criollo, Anna Jurado, Diana Puigserver, Silvia Burdons, and Mónica Enrich
Adv. Geosci., 59, 59–67, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-59-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-59-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The demand of water for human consumption in urban areas is crucial where groundwater must be consider a useful resource, but commonly in these context due to anthropic activities these water are highly contaminated. Among these contaminants of special interest are the contaminants of emerging concern which present a high risk to the aquatic environment and human health. We found and study a series of these compounds in Barcelona’s groundwaters and identify some possible origins/sources of them.
Serge Brouyère, Laura Balzani, and Philippe Orban
Adv. Geosci., 59, 45–51, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-45-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-45-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The CASPER project funded by SPGE in the Walloon Region of Belgium aims at developing an integrated approach for the evaluation and management of pollution risks for peri-urban groundwater catchmentswhich fully complies with the requirements of the 2020 DWD recast. It is based on a mass-flux risk assessment concept and a associated GIS-based decision support system.
Laura Balzani, Philippe Orban, and Serge Brouyère
Adv. Geosci., 59, 27–35, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-27-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-27-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The project develops an integrated methodology to optimise the protection of groundwater catchments from urban pollution. This requires identifying their origins which are not always known, characterising composition and importance in terms of pollutant load, assessing current/future risks for the environment and the catchment itself, and the need for remediation. To do so, a combination of tracers and approaches has been applied and a decision-making reference system is going to be developed.
Estanislao Pujades, Laura Scheiber, Marc Teixidó, Rotman Criollo, Olha Nikolenko, Victor Vilarrasa, Enric Vázquez-Suñé, and Anna Jurado
Adv. Geosci., 59, 9–15, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-9-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-9-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This paper explores the impact of low enthalpy geothermal energy (LEGE) on the behaviour of organic contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Specifically, we investigate the impact of LEGE on phenazone that is an analgesic drug commonly reported in urban aquifers. CECs pose a risk for the environment and human health, and thus, they must be eliminated to increase the available fresh-water resources in urban areas, where water scarcity is a matter of concern due to the population growth.
Anna Jurado, Francesc Labad, Laura Scheiber, Rotman Criollo, Olha Nikolenko, Sandra Pérez, and Antoni Ginebreda
Adv. Geosci., 59, 1–7, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-1-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-59-1-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The occurrence of pharmaceuticals was investigated in an urban aquifer that might be a resource for water supply. Among the 92 pharmaceuticals, 35 were detected in all groundwater samples, ranging from the low ng/L to 44.5 µg/L. The concentration of some substances decreased along the bank filtration, suggesting the occurrence of natural attenuation processes. Finally, risk quotients showed that these substances did not pose a risk to human health at groundwater measured concentrations.
Agathe Defourny, Pierre-Henri Blard, Laurent Zimmermann, Patrick Jobé, Arnaud Collignon, Frédéric Nguyen, and Alain Dassargues
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2637–2648, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2637-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2637-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The Belgian city of Spa is known worldwide for its ferruginous and naturally sparkling groundwater springs that gave their name to the bathing tradition commonly called
spa. However, the origin of the dissolved CO2 they contain was still a matter of debate. Thanks to new analysis on groundwater samples, particularly carbon and helium isotopes together with dissolved gases, this study has demonstrated that the volcanic origin of the CO2 is presumably from the neighboring Eifel volcanic fields.
Estanislao Pujades, Philippe Orban, Pierre Archambeau, Sebastien Erpicum, and Alain Dassargues
Adv. Geosci., 45, 51–56, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-45-51-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-45-51-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The main concern of UPSH using abandoned mines is the water exchanges between the underground reservoir and the surrounding medium, which are relevant in terms of environmental impact and the system efficiency. This work is based in real abandoned slate mine and investigates how the geometry of the mine affects the groundwater exchanges and their associated consequences.
Natalia Fernández de Vera, Jean Beaujean, Pierre Jamin, David Caterina, Marnik Vanclooster, Alain Dassargues, Ofer Dahan, Frédéric Nguyen, and Serge Brouyère
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2016-79, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2016-79, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Soil and groundwater remediation at industrial contaminated sites require suitable field instrumentation for subsurface characterization. The proposed method provides chemical, hydraulic information and images from the subsurface via customized sensors installed in boreholes. Their installation at a brownfield allows flow and transport characterization of water and contaminants across a heterogeneous subsurface. The results proof the effectiveness of the method for characterization purposes.
Cited articles
Academy of Science of South Africa: Science Business Society Dialogue
Conference: Strengthening the Science Business Society Dialogue in the SADC
Region, Johannesburg, South Africa, 28–30 November 2017, 2018.
Akcil, A. and Koldas, S.: Acid Mine Drainage (AMD): causes, treatment and case
studies, Improving Environmental, Economic
and Ethical Performance in the Mining Industry – Part 2, Life cycle and
process analysis and technical issues, J. Clean. Prod., 14, 1139–1145,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2004.09.006, 2006.
Allen, R. D., Doherty, T. J., and Kannberg, L. D.: Underground pumped
hydroelectric storage, Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA, USA, Report
No.: PNL-5142, 78 pp., https://doi.org/10.2172/6517343, 1984.
Alvarado, R., Niemann, A., and Wortberg, T.: Underground Pumped-Storage
Hydroelectricity using existing Coal Mining Infrastructure, in:
E-proceedings of the 36th IAHR World Congress, The Hague, the Netherlands, 28 June–3 July 2015, 2016.
Beck, H. P. and Schmidt, M.: Windenergiespeicherung durch Nachnutzung
stillgelegter Bergwerke, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Univ.-Bibliothek Clausthal,
2011.
Barnes, F. S. and Levine, J. G. (Eds.): Large Energy Storage Systems Handbook,
CRC Press, Boca Raton, USA, 2011.
Bodeux, S., Pujades, E., Orban, P., Brouyère, S., and Dassargues, A.: How
groundwater interactions can influence UPSH (Underground Pumping Storage
Hydroelectricity) operations, in: Sustainable Hydraulics in the Era of
Global Change, CRC Press, London, UK, 973–973, 2016.
Bodeux, S., Pujades, E., Orban, P., Brouyère, S., and Dassargues, A.:
Interactions between groundwater and the cavity of an old slate mine used as
lower reservoir of an UPSH (Underground Pumped Storage Hydroelectricity): A
modelling approach, Eng. Geol., 217, 71–80,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2016.12.007, 2017.
Khan, S. Y. and Davidson, I. E.: Underground Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage
in South Africa using Aquifers and Existing Infrastructure, in: NEIS
Conference 2016, Springer Vieweg, Wiesbaden, 119–122, 2017.
Menéndez, J., Loredo, J., Fernandez, J. M., and Galdo, M.: Underground
pumped-storage hydro power plants with mine water in abandoned coal mines in
northern Spain, in: Mine Water & Circular Economy, edited by: Wolkersdorfer, C.,
Sartz, L., Sillanpää, M., and Häkkinen, A., 1, 6–14, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland, 2017.
Min, A. P. N.: Ondergrondse Pomp Accumulatie Centrale:
Effectiviteitsverbetering d.m.v. verschillende pomp-turbinevermogens, MS
thesis, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands, 147 pp., 1984.
Parkhurst, D. L.: User's quide to PHREEQC – a computer program for
speciation, reaction-path, advective transport, and inverse geochemical
calculations, US Geological Survey, Water Resources Investigations, Report
95–4227, 143 pp., 1995.
Parkhurst, D. L. and Kipp, K. L.: Parallel processing for PHAST: a
three-dimensional reactive-transport simulator, in: Proceedings of the XIVth
International Conference on Computational Methods in Water Resources (CMWR
XIV), 23–28 June 2002, Delft, the Netherlands, 711–718, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-5648(02)80128-9, 2002.
Parkhurst, D. L., Kipp, K. L., and Charlton, S. R.: PHAST Version 2 – A Program for
Simulating Groundwater Flow, Solute Transport, and Multicomponent
Geochemical Reactions, U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods,
6–A35, 235 pp., 2010.
Poulain, A., De Dreuzy, J. R., and Goderniaux, P.: Pump Hydro Energy Storage
systems (PHES) in groundwater flooded quarries, J. Hydrol., 559,
1002–1012, 2018.
Pujades, E.: Numerical Data: Hydrochemical Changes in UPSH, Influence of
Hydraulic Parameters, Open Science Framework,
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/BCN7K, 2018.
Pujades, E., Willems, T., Bodeux, S., Orban, P., and Dassargues, A.: Underground
pumped storage hydroelectricity using abandoned works (deep mines or open
pits) and the impact on groundwater flow, Hydrogeol. J., 24,
1531–1546, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1413-z, 2016.
Pujades, E., Orban, P., Bodeux, S., Archambeau, P., Erpicum, S., and Dassargues,
A.: Underground pumped storage hydropower plants using open pit mines: How
do groundwater exchanges influence the efficiency?, Appl. Energ., 190,
135–146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.12.093, 2017a.
Pujades, E., Orban, P., Jurado, A., Ayora, C., Brouyère, S., and Dassargues,
A.: Water chemical evolution in Underground Pumped Storage Hydropower plants
and induced consequences, Enrgy. Proced., 125, 504–510, 2017b.
Pujades, E., Jurado, A., Orban, P., Ayora, C., Poulain, A., Goderniaux, P.,
Brouyère, S., and Dassargues, A.: Hydrochemical changes induced by
underground pumped storage hydropower and their associated impacts, J. Hydrol., 563, 927–941, 2018.
Pummer, E. and Schüttrumpf, H.: Reflection Phenomena in
Underground Pumped Storage Reservoirs, Water, 10, 504,
https://doi.org/10.3390/w10040504, 2018.
Severson, M. J.: Preliminary Evaluation of Establishing an Underground
Taconite Mine, to be Used Later as a Lower Reservoir in a Pumped Hydro Energy
Storage Facility, on the Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota, Natural Resources
Research Institute, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, Report of
Investigation NRRI/RI-2011/02, 28 pp., 2011.
White, A. F. and Brantley, S. L.: Chemical weathering rates of silicate mienrals:
an overview, Rev. Mineral., 31, 1–21, 1995.
Winde, F. and Stoch, E. J.: Threats and opportunities for post-closure
development in dolomitic gold mining areas of the West Rand and Far West
Rand (South Africa) – a hydraulic view Part 1: Mining legacy and future
threats, Water SA, 36, 69–74, https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v36i1.50908, 2010a.
Winde, F. and Stoch, E. J.: Threats and opportunities for post-closure
development in dolomitic gold-mining areas of the West Rand and Far West
Rand (South Africa) – a hydraulic view Part 2: Opportunities, Water SA, 36, 75–82, https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v36i1.50909, 2010b.
Winde, F., Kaiser, F., and Erasmus, E.: Exploring the use of deep level gold
mines in South Africa for underground pumped hydroelectric energy storage
schemes, Adv. Mater. Res.-Switz., 78, 668–682, 2017.
Wong, I. H.: An underground pumped storage scheme in the Bukit Timah Granite
of Singapore, Tunn. Undergr. Sp. Tech., 11, 485–489,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0886-7798(96)00035-1, 1996.
Zillmann, A. and Perau, E.: A conceptual analysis for an underground pumped
storage plant in rock mass of the Ruhr Region, in: Proceedings of the XVI,
European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE),
Edinburgh, Scotland, 13–17 September 2015, ICE Publishing, 3789–3794,
available at:
https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/ecsmge.60678.vol7.597
(last access: 23 July 2018), 2015.
Short summary
Underground pumped storage hydropower (UPSH) induces hydrochemical changes that may impact the environment and the efficiency of the system, especially if pyrite is present. This works assess the role of the hydraulic conductivity and the porosity on the system behavior by means of coupled hydro-chemical numerical models. This is helpful for selecting the most adequate abandoned mines for constructing UPSH plants.
Underground pumped storage hydropower (UPSH) induces hydrochemical changes that may impact the...