Patent US5360067A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5360067A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vapor-extraction system for removing hydrocarbons from soil
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1993-05-17
•
Granted: 1994-11-01
•
Expires: 2013-05-17
Abstract
Abstract The invention is a closed-loop, thermal process for remediating soil contaminated with hydrocarbon chemicals; it is particularly well suited for the remediation of soils containing hydrocarbons with relatively high boiling points and for the remediation of soils which contain clays or silts. The process uses a combination of at least one extraction well which is used to withdraw vapors from contaminated soil and at least one injection well, called a "fire" well which is used to burn both a source of hydrocarbon fuel and all of the hydrocarbons present in the recovered vapors and then inject the combustion gases into contaminated soil. The heat in the combustion gases is used to raise the temperature of the contaminated soil and volatilize hydrocarbons in the soil. Dielectric heating can be used to supplement the heating performed by the combustion gases.
Inventors
- 👤 Dominic Meo, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:31
CPC Classifications
B; B09; B09C; B09C1/00; B09C1/06; B09C1/005; E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/2401; E21B43/243; B09C2101/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/902; Y10S210/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A process for performing soil remediation comprising the steps of: burning a hydrocarbon fuel at a fire well at a first location to produce combustion gasses and injecting the combustion gasses below grade with said fire well; withdrawing gaseous vapors with an extraction well at a second location; and reinjecting said gaseous vapors into said fire well at said first location.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
A process for performing soil remediation comprising the steps of: burning a hydrocarbon fuel at a fire well at a first location to produce combustion gasses and injecting the combustion gasses below grade with said fire well; withdrawing gaseous vapors with an extraction well at a second location; and reinjecting said gaseous vapors into said fire well at said first location.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The process for performing soil remediation recited in claim 1 wherein said burning of a hydrocarbon fuel step further comprises the steps of: introducing a pressurized flow of a hydrocarbon fuel to a burner; introducing a pressurized flow of oxygen to said burner; combusting said hydrocarbon fuel with said oxygen to form combustion products; and introducing said combustion products into said fire well.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process for performing soil remediation recited in claim 1 wherein said combustion products are produced at high pressure and where said introducing step is performed by placing the high pressure combustion products in communication with the fire well.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process for performing soil remediation recited in claim 1 wherein said injection the combustion gasses step is performed by; flowing said combustion gasses through said fire well; and allowing said combustion gasses to exit said fire well through exit perforations in said fire well.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process for performing soil remediation recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of removing water from said gaseous vapors before reinjecting said gaseous vapors into said fire well.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process for performing soil remediation of claim 1 wherein said fire well extends to a first sandy soil layer beneath a clay bearing soil layer, and wherein said extraction well extracts said gaseous vapors from a point above said clay bearing soil layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process for performing soil remediation as recited in claim 6 and further comprising the steps of passing a current through said clay bearing layer to heat said clay bearing layer to free additional gaseous vapors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The process for performing soil remediation system of claim 7 wherein said passing direct current step is performed by passing current through at least one of said fire well, said vapor-extraction well and a conducting rod, in contact with said clay bearing layer and through at least one of said fire well, said vapor-extraction well and a conducting rod, in contact with said clay bearing layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process for performing soil remediation system of claim 8 wherein the polarity of at least one of said fire well, said vapor-extraction well and a conducting rod changes with time.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
115 words
A system for performing soil remediation comprising: a fire well extending below grade, having a first end, located nearer grade and provided with a gas-injection port near said first end, and a second end further from grade, having exit perforations near said second end; a burner in fluid communication with said fire well for transmitting combustion products through said fire well; a vapor-recovery well extending below grade, having a first end nearer grade and a second end further from grade, and having inlet perforations and having a withdrawal port; a fluid blower having a suction in communication with said withdrawal port and an outlet in fluid communication with said gas-injection port of said fire well.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
115 words
A system for performing soil remediation comprising: a fire well extending below grade, having a first end, located nearer grade and provided with a gas-injection port near said first end, and a second end further from grade, having exit perforations near said second end; a burner in fluid communication with said fire well for transmitting combustion products through said fire well; a vapor-recovery well extending below grade, having a first end nearer grade and a second end further from grade, and having inlet perforations and having a withdrawal port; a fluid blower having a suction in communication with said withdrawal port and an outlet in fluid communication with said gas-injection port of said fire well.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 10 further comprising: a pressurized source of fuel connected to said burner; and a pressurized source of air connected to said burner.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said injection port is situated downstream of said burner.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 10 further comprising means for monitoring the temperature and pressure of said system for performing soil remediation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 10 further comprising means, interposed between said withdrawal port of said vapor-extraction well and said suction of said fluid blower for removing liquids from said vapor-extraction well before reaching said suction of said fluid blower.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 11 further comprising economizer means, connected to one of said said burner and said pressurized source of fuel, for reducing the flow of fuel from said pressurized source of fuel in response to the caloric content of vapors from said fluid blower.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US260803A
Cited
US528449A
Cited
US825745A
Cited
US1102152A
Cited
US1286666A
Cited
US1272625A
Cited
US1896212A
Cited
US2104327A
Cited
US2180400A
Cited
US2157085A
Cited
US2423653A
Cited
US2718263A
Cited
US2765850A
Cited
US3140986A
Cited
US3038396A
Cited
US3019838A
Cited
US3221812A
Cited
US3277962A
Cited
US3672450A
Cited
US3735815A
Cited
US3765483A
Cited
US3743355A
Cited
US3705851A
Cited
US3881551A
Cited
US4026355A
Cited
US4017120A
Cited
US4059156A
Cited
US4167973A
Cited
US4278502A
Cited
US4183407A
Cited
US4366846A
Cited
US4265312A
Cited
US4303127A
Cited
US4323122A
Cited
US4345647A
Cited
US4369839A
Cited
US4444260A
Cited
US4415031A
Cited
US4457374A
Cited
US4474237A
Cited
US4593760B1
Cited
US4593760A
Cited
US4660639A
Cited
US4730672A
Cited
US4890673A
Cited
US4892664A
Cited
US4886119A
Cited
US4842448A
Cited
US4832122A
Cited
US4966654A
Cited
US4901796A
Cited
US4982788A
Cited
US5018576A
Cited
US5050676A
Cited
US5076360A
Cited
US4945988A
Cited
US5050677A
Cited
US5115866A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-10-31 | 1998-05-02 | 1998-11-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-31 | 2002-05-02 | 2002-11-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-10-31 | 2006-05-02 | 2006-11-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |