Process for chemical decontamination of layers of earth and/or water contaminated with organic materials

• US 4,167,973 A
• Filed: 06/10/1977
• Issued: 09/18/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aquatechnique Sierre SA
• Original Assignee: Aquatechnique Sierre SA
• Inventors: Forte, Ernst, Schulthess, Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Stephen J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suchfield, George A.
• Application Number:
  US05/805,454
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 166/244 R, 166/246, 166/250, 166/265, 166/266, 166/267, 166/311, 166/75 R, 210/62, 210/63 Z, 210/63 R, 210/64, 210/170
• US Class Current: 210/170.07
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/00 Reclamation of contaminated soil
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/50 by addition or application of a germicide or by oligodynamic treatment C02F1/4606, C02F1/467, C02F1/76 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/72 by oxidation C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/30 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/06 Contaminated groundwater or leachate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/043 Treatment of partial or bypass streams
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/046 Soil filtration
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 31/06 against corrosion by soil or water
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 3/34 of underground water
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/908 Organic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 588/90 Apparatus

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus for the chemical decontamination of layers of earth and/or water contaminated with organic materials comprising the following block units:

Device for withdrawal of water from a water pressure line which water is to be treated and returned into the layers of earth,

A mixing device for the preparation of a mixture of water and at least one strong, chemical oxidizing agent and/or bactericide,

A degassing device for removal of excess gas from the mixture,

A distribution device for distributing the mixture to several feed lines, and

Several mobile sprinkling and/or feeding lines with drain pipes to feed the aqueous mixture to and/or the layers of earth whereby the drain pipes are at most lowered to the still water level in the water bearing layers of ground.

There is also described a method of using the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the chemical decontamination of water containing layers of earth or water from a well, polluted with organic materials comprising the following units:

(1) a water pressure line, means for withdrawing from said water pressure line a portion of the water which portion is to be treated and returned to the layers of earth or said water well,

(2) supply means for a strong chemical oxidizing agent or bactericide, means for mixing said oxidizing agent or bactericide with said withdrawn water,

(3) degassing means for removal of excess gas from said water-oxidizer mixture,

(4) means for distributing said water-oxidizer mixture into a plurality of supply conduits, and

(5) means for delivering said water-oxidizer mixture from said supply conduits to said polluted layers or water well.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus is used to decontaminate layers of earth and said delivering means delivers the water-oxidizer mixture at a point no lower than the still water level in said layers of earth.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the delivering means is adapted to deliver at least a portion of the water-oxidizer mixture above the surface of the earth.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the delivering means is adapted to deliver at least a portion of the water-oxidizer mixture below the surface of the earth.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the delivering means is adapted to deliver a portion of the water-oxidizer mixture above the surface of the earth and another portion below the surface of the earth.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said supply means for oxidizing agent or bactericide to be mixed with water includes an ozonider.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said withdrawal means includes an automatic water analyzer and means for regulating the amount of water withdrawn or the amount of supply of oxidizing agent or bactericide to be mixed with water according to the analysis of the withdrawn water.

8. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the water pressure line includes a ground water pump and the apparatus is adapted to decontaminate the pump water and the ground water carrying layers.

9. A process for the chemical decontamination of water from a source which is water containing layers of earth comprising:

(1) withdrawing water from said source under pressure,

(2) treating a portion of said withdrawn water with a chemical oxidizing agent or bactericide,

(3) degassing said treated portion of withdrawn water to remove excess gas,

(4) distributing the degassing water into a plurality of supply conduits, and

(5) delivering said degassed water to said layers of earth.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein the water is withdrawn from layers of earth and is returned to said layers of earth at a point no lower than the level of still water.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein a portion of the water is returned above ground level and another portion of the water is returned below ground level.

12. The process of claim 9 wherein the chemical oxidizing agent or bactericide is ozone, a halogen or a silver salt.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the chemical oxidizing agent or bactericide is ozone.

14. The process of claim 9 wherein the contaminating substance comprises an organic pesticide, hydrocarbon or other toxic compound.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the contaminating substance comprises an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the contaminating substance comprises petroleum.

17. The process of claim 14 wherein the contaminating substance is an insecticide.

18. The process of claim 9 wherein the oxidizing agent or bactericide is a gaseous oxidizing agent.

19. A process for the chemical decontamination of water from a source polluted with organic materials comprising:

(1) withdrawing water from said source under pressure,

(2) mixing a portion of said withdrawn water with a chemical oxidizing agent and/or bactericide,

(3) degassing said mixture,

(4) distributing the mixture into a plurality of supply conduits, and

(5) delivering said mixture to said polluted water source.

20. The process of claim 19 wherein the chemical oxidizing agent or bactericide is ozone containing oxygen a halogen or a silver salt.

21. The process of claim 20 wherein the chemical oxidizing agent or bactericide is ozone containing oxygen.

22. The process of claim 19 wherein the contaminating substance comprises an organic pesticide, hydrocarbon or other toxic compound.

23. The process of claim 22 wherein the contaminating substance comprises an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon.

24. The process of claim 23 wherein the contaminating substance comprises petroleum.

25. The process of claim 22 wherein the contaminating substance is an insecticide.

26. The process of claim 19 wherein the oxidizing agent or bactericide is a gaseous oxidizing agent.