To study the mechanism of bio-clogging in a porous medium during the reinjection of geothermal water and to improve reinjection efficiency, an indoor one-dimensional reinjection experiment was conducted based on the geological model of the geothermal reinjection demonstration project in Dezhou City. The biological process of porous media clogging was investigated by analyzing the variation of permeability within the medium, the main indexes of nutrient salts, and the content of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). High-throughput sequencing, based on 16S rRNA, was used to analyze the characteristics and succession of microbial communities during the reinjection of geothermal water. The results of the study show that significant bio-clogging occurs during the reinjection of geothermal water, with an increase in the heterogeneity of the thermal reservoir medium, and a decrease in permeability. The extent of clogging gradually reduces with an increase in seepage path. Thus, thermal reservoir clogging is more serious closer to the water inlet. With an increase in the duration of reinjection, the permeability of the porous medium undergoes three stages: “rapid”, “decline-slow”, and “decrease-stable”. The results show that the richness and diversity of the bacterial community increase and decrease, respectively, during the reinjection process. Bacterial community succession occurs, and the bacterial communities mainly include the Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes phyla. Pseudomonas and Devosia are respectively the dominant bacteria in the early and late stages of geothermal water reinjection.
KeywordsGeothermal Water ReinjectionBio-CloggingIndoor ExperimentHigh-Throughput Sequencing
Lund, J.W. (2010) Direct Utilization of Geothermal Energy. Energies, 3, 1443-1471. https://doi.org/10.3390/en3081443
Kaya, E., Zarrouk, S.J. and O’Sullivan, M.J. (2011) Reinjection in Geothermal Fields: A Review of Worldwide Experience. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15, 47-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2010.07.032
Liu, J. (2003) The Status of Geothermal Reinjection. Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology, No. 3, 100-104.
Liu, X. and Zhu, J. (2009) A Study of Clogging in Geothermal Reinjection Wells in the Neogene Sandstone Aquifer. Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology, 36, 138-141.
Eom, H., Flimban, S., Gurung, A., Suk, H., Kim, Y., Kim, Y.S., Jung, S.P. and Oh, S.E. (2020) Impact of Carbon and Nitrogen on Bioclogging in a Sand Grain Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR). Environmental Engineering Research, 25, 841-846. https://doi.org/10.4491/eer.2019.373
Thullner, M. (2010) Comparison of Bioclogging Effects in Saturated Porous Media within One- and Two-Dimensional Flow Systems. Ecological Engineering, 36, 176-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2008.12.037
Seifert, D. and Engesgaard, P. (2007) Use of Tracer Tests to Investigate Changes in Flow and Transport Properties Due to Bioclogging of Porous Media. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 93, 58-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2007.01.014
Kim, Y.M., Park, T. and Kwon, T.H. (2019) Engineered Bioclogging in Coarse Sands by Using Fermentation-Based Bacterial Biopolymer Formation. Geomechanics and Engineering, 17, 485-496.
Gui, R., Pan, Y.X., Ding, D.X., Liu, Y. and Zhang, Z.J. (2018) Experimental Study on Bioclogging in Porous Media during the Radioactive Effluent Percolation. Advances in Civil Engineering, 2018, Article ID: 9671371. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9671371
Yang, J., Ye, S. and Wu, J. (2011) Study on the Influence of Bioclogging on Permeability of Saturated Porous Media by Experiments and Models. Environmental Science, 32, 1364-1371.
Newcomer, M.E., Hubbard, S.S., Fleckenstein, J.H., Maier, U., Schmidt, C., Thullner, M., Ulrich, C., Flipo, N. and Rubin, Y. (2016) Simulating Bioclogging Effects on Dynamic Riverbed Permeability and Infiltration. Water Resources Research, 52, 2883-2900. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015WR018351
Xia, L., Zheng, X.L., Shao, H.B., Xin, J., Sun, Z.Y. and Wang, L.Y. (2016) Effects of Bacterial Cells and Two Types of Extracellular Polymers on Bioclogging of Sand Columns. Journal of Hydrology, 535, 293-300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.01.075
Xia, L., Gao, Z.J., Xu, H.L. and Feng, G.P. (2020) Variations in Bacterial Community during Bioclogging in Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR): A Laboratory Study. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 147, Article ID: 104843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2019.104843
Xian, Y., Jin, M.G., Zhan, H.B. and Liu, Y.F. (2019) Reactive Transport of Nutrients and Bioclogging during Dynamic Disconnection Process of Stream and Groundwater. Water Resources Research, 55, 3882-3903. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR024826
Kanmani, S., Gandhimathi, R. and Muthukkumaran, K. (2014) Bioclogging in Porous Media: Influence in Reduction of Hydraulic Conductivity and Organic Contaminants during Synthetic Leachate Permeation. Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering, 12, 126. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40201-014-0126-2
Du, X., Ye, X., Lu, Y., Chi, B., Birk, S. and Yang, Y. (2009) Advances in Clogging Research of Artificial Recharge. Advances in Earth Science, 24, 973-980.
Albrechtsen, H.J. and Winding, A. (1992) Microbial Biomass and Activity Insubsurface Sediment from Vejen, Denmark. Microbial Ecology, 23, 303-317. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164102
Okubo, T. and Matsumoto, J. (1979) Effect of Infiltration Rate on Biological Clogging and Water Quality Changes during Artificial Recharge. Water Resources Research, 15, 1536-1542. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR015i006p01536
Okubo, T. and Matsumoto, J. (1983) Biological Clogging of Sand and Changes of Organic Constituents during Artificial Recharge. Water Resources Research, 17, 813-821. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(83)90077-5
Ripley, D.P. and Saleem, Z.A. (1973) Clogging in Simulated Glacial Aquifers Duo to Artificial Recharge. Water Resources Research, 9, 1047-1057. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR009i004p01047
McDowell-Boyer, L.M., Hunt, J.R. and Sitar, N. (1986) Particle Transport through Porous Media. Water Resources Research, 22, 1902-1921. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR022i013p01901
Zhang, X. (2016) Laboratory Research on the Influence Factors of Suspended Clay Solids Clogging during Artificial Recharge. Master’s Degree Thesis, Jilin University, Changchun.
Rinck-Pfeiffer, S., Ragusa, S., Sztajnbok, P. and Vandevelde, T. (2000) Interrelationships between Biological, Chemical, and Physical Processes as an Analog to Clogging in Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Wells. Water Research, 34, 2110-2118. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(99)00356-5
Allison, L.E. (1947) Effect of Microorganisms on Permeability of Soil under Prolonged Submergence. Soil Science, 63, 439-450. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-194706000-00003
Baveye, P., Vandevivere, P., Hoyle, B.L., DeLeo, P.C. and de Lozada, D.S. (1998) Environmental Impact and Mechanisms of the Biological Clogging of Saturated Soils and Aquifer Materials. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 28, 123-191. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389891254197
Lin, L., Wang, L., Zhao, S., Wang, Y. and Hu, Y. (2008) A Discussion of the Factors Affecting Geothermal Reinjection in the Geothermal Reservoir of Porous Type in Tianjin. Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology, 6, 125-128.
Zhu, J. and Chen, H. (2009) Discussion on Constructed Wetlands Clogging. China Water & Wastewater, 25, 24-28, 33.
Gao, Z.J., Xu, H.L., Zhang, P.P., Ji, D.S., Xia, L., Wang, X.Y., Li, B., Dou, M.Y. and Xu, Y.F. (2020) Variations in Bacterial Community Structures during Geothermal Water Recharge-Induced Bioclogging, Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 55, 629-637. https://doi.org/10.1080/10934529.2020.1724744
Zhong, X.Q. and Wu, Y.Q. (2013) Bioclogging in Porous Media under Continuous-Flow Condition. Environmental Earth Sciences, 68, 2417-2425. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1926-2
Yang, L. (2016) Nitrogen Removal Characteristics of Heterotrophic Nitrifying Bacteria and Potential Application for the Treatment of High-Strength Ammonium Wastewater. Ph.D. Thesis, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an.
Yang, M., Hu, X., Ning, P., Sun, W. and Ruan, T. (2011) Research Progress in Extracellular Polymeric Substances Applied to Biological Wastewater Treatment. Industrial Water Treatment, 31, 7-12.
Gao, Z., Xu, H. and Xia, L. (2020) An Experimental Study of Bioclogging of Aquifer Media during Artificial Reinjection of Groundwater. Hydrogeology & Engineering Geology, 47, 8-16.
Zhang, N., Chu, L., Ding, P., Wang, X., Yang, Q. and Wang, J. (2015) Enhanced Treatment of Petrochemical Wastewater by Using A/O Biofilm Reactor and Analysis of Biofilm Community. China Environmental Science, 35, 80-86.
Ren, L., Wu, Y., Ren, N., Zhang, K. and Xing, D. (2010) Microbial Community Structure in an Integrated A/O Reactor Treating Diluted Livestock Wastewater during Start-Up Period. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 22, 656-662. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(09)60159-5
Ge, W. (2018) Study on Enhanced Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal by Composite Ferric Enzymatic Activated Sludge and Its Biological Mechanism. Master’s Degree Thesis, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao.
Zhang, E., Dai, Y., Xiao, Y., Chen, B., Yang, Z. and Zhao, F. (2017) Analysis of Extracellular Polymeric Substances and Bacterial Community in Mixed Cultures for Cr(VI) Reduction. China Environmental Science, 37, 352-357.
Liu, M. (2014) Study on the Performance of Low COD/N Ratio Urban Wastewater in Cold Area by Modified A2/O Process. Master’s Degree Thesis, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin.
Hu, J., et al. (2009) Effect of Organic Carbon on Nitrification Efficiency and Community Composition of Nitrifying Biofilms. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 21, 387-394. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(08)62281-0
Zhao, H. (2016) Performance of Nitrogen Removal in Double Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells and Microbiology Mechanism. Ph.D. Thesis, Chang’an University, Xi’an.
Xu, L. (2019) Diversity of Soil Microorganisms in Grain Fields and Their Effects on Millet Effects of Physiology, Biochemistry and Yield. Ph.D. Thesis, Shanxi University, Taiyuan.