Removing contaminants from groundwater
First Claim
1. A method for removing contaminant from groundwater, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) extracting groundwater including contaminate from the ground;
(b) placing the extracted groundwater into a tank;
(c) applying a vacuum to the tank;
(d) heating the extracted groundwater to a temperature at which at least a portion of the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the extracted groundwater, thereby forming cleaned water;
(e) removing the vaporized contaminant from the tank; and
(f) removing the cleaned water from the tank.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for removing hydrocarbon contaminants from groundwater. The apparatus preferably removes contaminants from groundwater by heating the groundwater to a temperature at which the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the liquid groundwater. Sparge air may be passed through the groundwater to assist in separating the vaporized contaminant. Further, a vacuum may be applied to lower the vaporization temperature of the contaminant. The extracted hydrocarbons are preferably destroyed in a thermal or catalytic oxidizer while the groundwater with the vaporized contaminant removed is preferably pumped through activated carbon filters to further reduce the amount of contaminants to governmental standards.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for removing contaminant from groundwater, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) extracting groundwater including contaminate from the ground;
(b) placing the extracted groundwater into a tank;
(c) applying a vacuum to the tank;
(d) heating the extracted groundwater to a temperature at which at least a portion of the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the extracted groundwater, thereby forming cleaned water;
(e) removing the vaporized contaminant from the tank; and
(f) removing the cleaned water from the tank.
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2. A method for removing a contaminant from groundwater, the method comprising:
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(a) placing groundwater containing the contaminant into a tank; and
(b) heating the groundwater in the tank to a temperature at which at least a portion of the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the groundwater, thereby forming cleaned water. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 28)
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22. A method for removing a contaminant from groundwater comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying a vacuum to groundwater containing the contaminant to create a pressure at which the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the groundwater; and
(b) agitating the groundwater to assist in separating the contaminant. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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23. A device for use in separating a contaminant from contaminated water, the device comprising:
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(a) a tank comprising an agitator and a heating element;
(b) a first conduit for transferring the contaminated water to the tank, the first conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first conduit being connected to the tank;
(c) a second conduit for transferring vaporized contaminant out of the tank; and
(d) a third conduit for transferring cleaned water out of the tank, the third conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third conduit being connected to the tank.
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29. A method for removing a contaminant from water comprising:
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(a) placing water containing the contaminant into a tank; and
(b) heating the water in the tank to a temperature at which at least a portion the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the water, thereby forming cleaned water.
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Specification