Patent US5115866A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5115866A
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US
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Soil vapor well construction
Assignee: KN Energy Inc
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Filing: 1991-01-18
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Granted: 1992-05-26
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Expires: 2011-01-18
Abstract
Abstract In accordance with this invention a soil vapor well for removing volatile hydrocarbons from the vadose zone is provided. The well comprises a larger diameter first bore hole extending from the surface of the earth for several feet and preferably to the base of the clay layer, an impervious casing having a smaller diameter than the first bore hole is mounted concentrically within the first bore hole and extends from the bottom of the first bore hole to a point above the surface of the earth. Concrete fills the space between the sides of the first bore hole and the casing to provide a substantially air-tight seal from the earth below the first bore to the surface of the earth. A second bore hole, having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the casing extends downwardly from the lower end of the casing to a point located above the water table. Aggregate fills the second bore hole and the casing. Means is connected to the upper end of the casing for drawing a vacuum to extract the volatile hydrocarbons from the surrounding portion of the vadose zone through the aggregate.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence J. Corte
- 👤 Adrian Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:37
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/18; B; B09; B09C; B09C1/00; B09C1/005; E21B33/00; E21B33/02; E21B33/03; E21B43/02; E21B43/04; E21B43/12; E21B43/121
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A soil vapor well for removing volatile hydrocarbons from the vadose zone in the earth, said well comprising: a larger diameter first bore hole and having side edges extending from the surface of the earth to a first depth; an impervious casing having a smaller diameter than said first bore hole mounted concentrically within said first bore hole and extending from the bottom of said first bore hole to a point above the surface of the earth; concrete filling the space in said first bore hole between said casing and said side edges of said first bore hole to provide a substantially air-tight seal between the earth below said first bore hole and the surface of the earth; a second bore hole, having a smaller diameter than the diameter of said casing, extending downwardly from the lower end of said casing to second depth located above the water table; aggregate filling said second hole and said casing; and means connected to the upper end of said casing for drawing a vacuum in said second bore to extract the volatile hydrocarbons from the surrounding portion of the vadose zone through said aggregate and said casing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
A soil vapor well for removing volatile hydrocarbons from the vadose zone in the earth, said well comprising: a larger diameter first bore hole and having side edges extending from the surface of the earth to a first depth; an impervious casing having a smaller diameter than said first bore hole mounted concentrically within said first bore hole and extending from the bottom of said first bore hole to a point above the surface of the earth; concrete filling the space in said first bore hole between said casing and said side edges of said first bore hole to provide a substantially air-tight seal between the earth below said first bore hole and the surface of the earth; a second bore hole, having a smaller diameter than the diameter of said casing, extending downwardly from the lower end of said casing to second depth located above the water table; aggregate filling said second hole and said casing; and means connected to the upper end of said casing for drawing a vacuum in said second bore to extract the volatile hydrocarbons from the surrounding portion of the vadose zone through said aggregate and said casing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said first bore hole is approximately 12" in diameter; said casing is approximately 9" in diameter; and said second bore hole is approximately 8" in diameter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said aggregate is 3/4" aggregate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said casing is made of steel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said first depth is at least 3'.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the ratio of the diameters of said first and second bore holes is approximately three to two.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said first bore hole is approximately 5' deep from the surface of the earth; and said second bore hole is approximately 30' deep from the surface of the earth.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of constructing a soil vapor removal well comprising the steps of: drilling a large diameter first bore hole from the surface of the earth to a first depth in a vadose zone; mounting an impervious casing whose diameter is less than that of the first bore hole concentrically within said first bore hole; filling the first bore hole with concrete around the casing to hold the casing in place and form a substantially air-tight seal between the earth and the surface; allowing the concrete to cure; drilling a second bore hole of smaller diameter than the casing from the bottom of the casing to a second depth above the water table; and filling the second bore hole and the casing with aggregate.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of constructing a soil vapor removal well comprising the steps of: drilling a large diameter first bore hole from the surface of the earth to a first depth in a vadose zone; mounting an impervious casing whose diameter is less than that of the first bore hole concentrically within said first bore hole; filling the first bore hole with concrete around the casing to hold the casing in place and form a substantially air-tight seal between the earth and the surface; allowing the concrete to cure; drilling a second bore hole of smaller diameter than the casing from the bottom of the casing to a second depth above the water table; and filling the second bore hole and the casing with aggregate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method, as claimed in claim 8, further including: drawing a vacuum on the upper end of the casing to extract volatile hydrocarbons from surrounding portions of the vadose zone through the aggregate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method, as claimed in claim 8, wherein: said first bore hole is 12" in diameter and drilled to a depth of 5' from the surface of the earth; and said second bore hole is 8" in diameter and drilled to a depth of 30' from the surface of the earth.
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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) | 1995-05-26 | 1995-11-25 | 1996-05-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-05-26 | 1999-11-25 | 2000-05-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-05-26 | 2003-11-25 | 2004-05-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |