Underground contamination in situ treatment system

• US 5,879,107 A
• Filed: 01/30/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BioManagement Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BioManagement Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Trezzo, Jerrold A., Kiest, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US08/791,379
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 166/246, 166/268, 166/271, 111/7.1, 111/7.2, 111/7.3, 111/7.4, 210/610, 210/611, 210/747, 405/128, 405/263, 405/264, 405/269, 435/262.5, 588/209
• US Class Current: 405/128.5
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/00 Reclamation of contaminated soil
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/10 microbiologically, biologically or by using enzymes

Abstract

A system and process for delivering fluids into subsurface contaminated soil and ground water to enhance in situ microbial degradation of contaminants. The system consists of a high pressure/low volume slurry pump driven by an internal combustion engine. Pressure and volume are variable to suit site-specific subsurface soil conditions (e.g. texture, intrinsic permeabilities, etc.). The high pressure fluid liquifies the soil in front of the probe tip allowing the probe to be easily advanced by hand into the subsurface while the low volume prevents driving the contaminants. Microorganisms, soluble and insoluble nutrients, surfactants and chemical peroxygens and also gases can be delivered into the subsurface with this system. After delivery of the fluids, the probe is withdrawn by hand.

Claims

1. A process for treating a zone of underground hydrocarbon contamination above a certain acceptable level of contamination, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a fluid that aids in the degradation of petroleum or chemical hydrocarbons;

(b) providing the fluid under pressure to create, by fluid jetting a substantially vertical path through the zone to saturate with said fluid, a core extending vertically through the zone and horizontally outward from said path;

(c) repeating step (b) at other locations to form a series of overlapping cores that substantially includes all of the zone;

(d) allowing the degradation to occur, thereafter testing to determine the degree of contamination remaining and, if above the acceptable level, repeating steps (a), (b), (c) and this step (d) until the contamination is reduced to below the acceptable level.

2. The process of claim 1 employing a lance of probe having a free end equipped with a nozzle from whence fluid may be injected, said lance or probe being of a length that it may be manually maneuvered and fluid-jetted into the ground so as to deliver fluid under pressure to the zone and wherein step (b) is performed by manually maneuvering the lance or probe along said path into said zone and wherein said fluid is a slurry of water and oxygen providing chemicals.

4. The process of claim 2 wherein said oxygen providing chemical is magnesium peroxide.

3. A process for treating a zone of underground hydrocarbon contamination above a certain acceptable level of contamination, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a fluid that aids in the degradation of petroleum or chemical hydrocarbons;

(b) providing the fluid under pressure to create, by jetting a substantially vertical path through the zone to saturate with said fluid, a core extending vertically through the zone and horizontally outward from said path;

(c) repeating step (b) at other locations to form a series of overlapping cores that substantially includes all of the zone;

(d) allowing the degradation to occur, thereafter testing to determine the degree of contamination remaining and, if above the acceptable level, repeating steps (a), (b), (c) and this step (d) until the contamination is reduced to below the acceptable level; and

wherein the zone is below a surface and said step (b) is performed by lancing from an entry hole in the surface downward into the zone and step (c) is performed at locations adjacent to a prior core and during step (c) the fluid flow is monitored at the entry hole for that prior core to gauge the overlapping or not of said cores.