US4832122A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
In-situ remediation system and method for contaminated groundwater
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1988-08-25
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Granted: 1989-05-23
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Expires: 2008-08-25
Abstract
Abstract A system for removing volatile contaminants from a subsurface plume of contamination comprising two sets of wells, a well for injecting a fluid into a saturated zone on one side of the plume and an extracting well for collecting the fluid together with volatilized contaminants from the plume on the other side of the plume. The fluid enables the volatile contaminants to be volatilized and carried therewith through the ground to the extracting well. Injecting and extracting wells are preferably horizontal wells positioned below the plume in the saturated zone and above the plume in the vadose zone, respectively. The fluid may be air or other gas or a gas and liquid mixture depending on the type of contaminant to be removed and may be preheated to facilitate volatilization. Treatment of the volatilized contamination may be by filtration, incineration, atmospheric dispersion or the like.
Inventors
- 👤 John C. Corey
- 👤 Brian B. Looney
- 👤 Dawn S. Kaback
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:04
CPC Classifications
B; B09; B09C; B09C1/00; B09C1/002; B09C1/005; C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/58; C02F1/62; C02F1/64; C02F1/645; E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/30; E21B43/305; B09C2101/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A system for in-situ decontamination of groundwater carrying contaminants in a generally horizontal plume partially or wholly located below a water table in a saturated zone under a portion of the surface of the earth, said contaminants having an affinity for a gaseous phase, said system comprising a fluid means capable of volatilizing said contaminants to said gaseous phase; a means for injecting said fluid means below said water table on one side of said plume; and a means for extracting said fluid, said extracting means spaced apart from said injecting means and positioned on an opposing side of said plume to draw said fluid across said plume thereby enabling said contaminants to be volatilized to said gaseous phase and to be extracted with said fluid.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
126 words
A system for in-situ decontamination of groundwater carrying contaminants in a generally horizontal plume partially or wholly located below a water table in a saturated zone under a portion of the surface of the earth, said contaminants having an affinity for a gaseous phase, said system comprising a fluid means capable of volatilizing said contaminants to said gaseous phase; a means for injecting said fluid means below said water table on one side of said plume; and a means for extracting said fluid, said extracting means spaced apart from said injecting means and positioned on an opposing side of said plume to draw said fluid across said plume thereby enabling said contaminants to be volatilized to said gaseous phase and to be extracted with said fluid.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
194 words
A system for in-situ decontamination of groundwater carrying contaminants in a generally horizontal plume partially or wholly located below a water table in a saturated zone under a portion of the surface of the earth, said contaminants having an affinity for a gaseous phase, said system comprising a fluid means capable of volatilizing said contaminants to said gaseous phase; an injecting well means for injecting said fluid means below said water table on one side of said plume, said injecting well means having a pump and at least one shaft; an extracting well means for extracting said fluid means, said extracting well means spaced apart from said injecting well means and positioned on an opposing side of said plume so that said extracting well means draws said fluid means across said plume from said first well means thereby enabling said contaminants to volatilize to said gaseous phase and to be extracted with said fluid means, said extracting well means having a pump and at least one shaft; and a treatment means operatively connected to said extracting well means so that said treatment means receives said fluid means and said volatilized groundwater contaminants for treatment.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
194 words
A system for in-situ decontamination of groundwater carrying contaminants in a generally horizontal plume partially or wholly located below a water table in a saturated zone under a portion of the surface of the earth, said contaminants having an affinity for a gaseous phase, said system comprising a fluid means capable of volatilizing said contaminants to said gaseous phase; an injecting well means for injecting said fluid means below said water table on one side of said plume, said injecting well means having a pump and at least one shaft; an extracting well means for extracting said fluid means, said extracting well means spaced apart from said injecting well means and positioned on an opposing side of said plume so that said extracting well means draws said fluid means across said plume from said first well means thereby enabling said contaminants to volatilize to said gaseous phase and to be extracted with said fluid means, said extracting well means having a pump and at least one shaft; and a treatment means operatively connected to said extracting well means so that said treatment means receives said fluid means and said volatilized groundwater contaminants for treatment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said injecting well means further comprises a vertical shaft and at least one horizontal shaft, said at least one horizontal shaft comprising a casing with a multiplicity of apertures through which apertures said fluid means may pass.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said at least one horizontal shaft of said injecting well means is positioned below said plume.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 4 wherein said at least one horizontal shaft of said injecting well means is positioned below said plume in a saturated zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said extracting well means further comprises a vertical shaft and at least one horizontal shaft, said at least one horizontal shaft comprising a casing having a multiplicity of apertures through which said fluid means and said volatilized contaminants can pass into said casing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said at least one horizontal shaft of said extracting well means is positioned above said plume in a vadose zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said extracting well means further comprises at least one vertical shaft, said at least one vertical shaft comprising a casing with a multiplicity of apertures through which said fluid means and said volatilized contaminants can pass into said casing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said fluid means is selected from the group comprising air, oxygen, air and oxygen, air and water vapor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said fluid means is heated before injecting.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said treatment means is an incinerator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said treatment means is an activated charcoal filter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said treatment means is controlled atmospheric dispersion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 2 further comprising a means for separating said fluid means from said volatilized contaminants and recirculating said fluid means from said separating means to said injecting well means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
96 words
A process for in-situ decontamination of groundwater carrying volatile contaminants having an affinity for a gaseous phase, said contaminants being in the form of a subsurface plume, said process comprising the steps of pumping a fluid capable of volatilizing said contaminants into a saturated zone proximate to said plume; drawing said fluid across said plume so that said contaminants volatilize and can be carried with said fluid; pumping said fluid and said contaminants from said plume into a vadose zone; collecting said fluid and said contaminants; separating said fluid from said contaminants; and treating said contaminants.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
96 words
A process for in-situ decontamination of groundwater carrying volatile contaminants having an affinity for a gaseous phase, said contaminants being in the form of a subsurface plume, said process comprising the steps of pumping a fluid capable of volatilizing said contaminants into a saturated zone proximate to said plume; drawing said fluid across said plume so that said contaminants volatilize and can be carried with said fluid; pumping said fluid and said contaminants from said plume into a vadose zone; collecting said fluid and said contaminants; separating said fluid from said contaminants; and treating said contaminants.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
116 words
A process for in-situ decontamination of groundwater carrying volatile contaminants having an affinity for a gaseous phase, said contaminants being in the form of a subsurface plume, said process comprising the steps of constructing a horizontal injection well system on one side of said plume; constructing a horizontal extraction well system spaced apart from said horizontal injection well system on an opposing side of said plume; injecting a fluid capable of volatilizing said contaminants into said injection well system; drawing said fluid across said plume so that said contaminants volatilize; extracting said fluid and said volatilized contaminants from said extraction well; separating said fluid from said volatilized groundwater contaminant; and treating said separated ground water contaminants.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
116 words
A process for in-situ decontamination of groundwater carrying volatile contaminants having an affinity for a gaseous phase, said contaminants being in the form of a subsurface plume, said process comprising the steps of constructing a horizontal injection well system on one side of said plume; constructing a horizontal extraction well system spaced apart from said horizontal injection well system on an opposing side of said plume; injecting a fluid capable of volatilizing said contaminants into said injection well system; drawing said fluid across said plume so that said contaminants volatilize; extracting said fluid and said volatilized contaminants from said extraction well; separating said fluid from said volatilized groundwater contaminant; and treating said separated ground water contaminants.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 16 further comprising the steps of recirculating said separated fluid to said horizontal injection well system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the step of treating said separated volatilized contaminants is by means of incineration.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the step of treating said separated volatilized contaminants is by means of filtering through activated charcoal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the step of treating said separated volatilized contaminants is by means of controlled atmospheric dispersion.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 16 further comprising the step of heating said fluid before injecting.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-05-22 | 1992-11-21 | 1993-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-05-22 | 1996-11-21 | 1997-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-05-22 | 2000-11-21 | 2001-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |