Underground Water Storage Piping System for Aquifer Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underground water storage systems face challenges in efficiently directing water into aquifers without disturbing land surfaces, especially when the land is used for agricultural, recreational, or commercial purposes, and they lack control mechanisms to prevent oversaturation and monitor storage capacity effectively.
Innovation Solution
A piping system utilizing directional drilling techniques to install underground piping without surface disruption, combined with moisture detection and digital control systems to manage water flow and prevent oversaturation, allowing for efficient water distribution and storage capacity monitoring, with the ability to redirect water to alternative facilities when capacity is reached.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If surface recharge basins are used to store water underground, then water storage capacity is increased, but land surface is disturbed and cannot be used for other purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the recharge function from the surface level and places it underground by installing piping systems that deliver water directly to subsurface injection zones, eliminating the need for surface recharge basins and allowing continuous surface land use for agriculture, recreation, or commercial purposes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions the water storage system from a surface-based approach to a subsurface approach by installing horizontal and vertical piping segments at various depths within the subsurface formation, utilizing the three-dimensional subspace beneath the land surface for water storage while preserving surface functionality
2Productivity
If traditional piping systems are installed to deliver water underground, then water delivery is achieved, but land surface activity and existing features are disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates different piping configurations for different local conditions by installing horizontal piping segments at various depths and orientations, with some segments positioned above and below the water table, allowing water delivery to specific zones without uniform surface disruption
Solution Approach 2:
The invention nests multiple piping segments within boreholes drilled through the subsurface formation, with horizontal and vertical segments nested together to create a three-dimensional distribution network that delivers water to multiple zones without requiring surface excavation or disruption
3Loss of energy
If water is stored in underground aquifers, then evaporation losses are reduced, but control over water distribution and storage capacity monitoring becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates moisture detectors that monitor soil moisture content at various depths and provide feedback signals to a controller, which automatically adjusts valve positions to regulate water flow into the subsurface formation, maintaining optimal storage capacity without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-regulation by using moisture detectors to sense storage capacity levels and automatically controlling valve operation to direct water flow to zones with available capacity, eliminating the need for external monitoring and manual management
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient underground water storage without land surface disturbance, reduces evaporation losses, and allows for precise control of water distribution and storage capacity management, ensuring sustainable water use and compliance with groundwater policies.
Implementation Method 1
The water system 100 delivers water from a water source to a subsurface aquifer 200
Implementation Method 2
A moisture detector 400 may be disposed within the subsurface formation 1000 to monitor the moisture content of the subsurface formation 1000
Implementation Method 3
The controller 500 may be configured to receive the output signal from the moisture detector 400 and actuate one or more valves 314
Data Source
AI summary
An underground water storage system is installed with directional drilling techniques to dispose water conveying conduits within an aquifer. By conducting a pre-installation investigation of the aquifer, the conduits may be placed within the aquifer to increase the flow efficiency into the aquifer, such as orienting the position of the conduits to coincide with the orientation of the aquifer. The invention may have a system for preventing water invasion into the near surface soil layers, thereby preventing water instrusion which may be detrimental to desired surface uses for the land, such as agricultural, recreational, residential or commercial uses.