Process for isolating contaminated soil
First Claim
1. A process for the in situ formation of continuous, substantially impermeable barriers in the saturated zone below the water table which comprises (a) injecting into a first location in said zone an aqueous stream which can be caused to form a gel, (b) removing groundwater at a second location in said zone which is spaced horizontally from said first location, and (c) causing said stream to gel, the combined effect of injection step (a) and groundwater removal step (b) being to cause said aqueous stream to proceed from said first location toward said second location;
- said aqueous stream being an aqueous solution or sol having a viscosity and density similar to that of water, and a gelling time sufficiently long to allow subsurface migration from the point of injection to the point at which water is removed from said second location.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Process for hydraulically guiding a layer of gellable grout solution (containing water-soluble Al or Fe salts, alkali metal silicates, or silica sols) to form a sealed confining layer beneath or around a contaminated zone beneath the water table which prevents both lateral and down-ward movement of contaminants or contaminated water.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A process for the in situ formation of continuous, substantially impermeable barriers in the saturated zone below the water table which comprises (a) injecting into a first location in said zone an aqueous stream which can be caused to form a gel, (b) removing groundwater at a second location in said zone which is spaced horizontally from said first location, and (c) causing said stream to gel, the combined effect of injection step (a) and groundwater removal step (b) being to cause said aqueous stream to proceed from said first location toward said second location;
- said aqueous stream being an aqueous solution or sol having a viscosity and density similar to that of water, and a gelling time sufficiently long to allow subsurface migration from the point of injection to the point at which water is removed from said second location.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A process for the in situ formation of continuous, substantially impermeable barriers in the saturated zone below the water table which comprises (a) erecting substantially vertical walls which enclose contaminants contained in said zone;
- (b) injecting water into the resulting enclosed zone at a first location above the bottom and adjacent to a portion of said walls, and removing water at a second location within said enclosed zone above the bottom and adjacent to an opposing portion of said walls which is spaced laterally from said first location so as to provide an upper stream of water;
(c) injecting an aqueous stream which can be caused to form a gel at a first location outside of said enclosed zone and above the bottom of said walls at a location which is spaced laterally from said first location which is within said enclosed zone, and removing water at a second location outside of said enclosed zone above the bottom and adjacent to an opposing portion of said walls which is spaced laterally from said first location outside of said walls so as to provide a gellable stream;
(d) injecting water at a third location outside of said enclosed zone and above the bottom of said walls at a location which is spaced laterally outward of said first location which is outside of said enclosed zone, and removing water at a fourth location outside of said enclosed zone and above the bottom and adjacent to an opposing portion of said walls which is spaced laterally outward of said second location outside of said walls so as to provide a lower stream of water;
said upper stream of water restraining movement of said gellable stream upwardly and said lower stream of water restraining movement of said gellable stream downwardly, thereby directing the flow of said gellable stream so as to provide a floor under the contaminants in said enclosed zone; and
(e) causing said gellable stream to gel so as to provide a continuous substantially impermeable barrier.
- (b) injecting water into the resulting enclosed zone at a first location above the bottom and adjacent to a portion of said walls, and removing water at a second location within said enclosed zone above the bottom and adjacent to an opposing portion of said walls which is spaced laterally from said first location so as to provide an upper stream of water;
Specification