Subsurface materials management and containment system

• US 6,758,634 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC
• Inventors: Richardson, John G., Nickelson, Reva A., Sloan, Paul A., Kosteinik, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): KRECK, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US10/062,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 405/274, 405/275, 405/276, 405/277, 405/278, 405/279, 405/201, 405/129, 405/129.55, 405/129.57, 405/129.6, 500/250
• US Class Current: 405/129.55
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/00 Dumping solid waste
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/002 involving in-situ ground water treatment
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 19/06 Restraining of underground water
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 19/12 by damming or interrupting the passage of underground water
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 19/185 Joints between sheets constituting the sealing aprons
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 31/006 Sealing of existing landfills, e.g. using mining techniques

Abstract

Systems, components, and methods relating to subterranean containment barriers. Laterally adjacent tubular casings having male interlock structures and multiple female interlock structures defining recesses for receiving a male interlock structure are used to create subterranean barriers for containing and treating buried waste and its effluents. The multiple female interlock structures enable the barriers to be varied around subsurface objects and to form barrier sidewalls. The barrier may be used for treating and monitoring a zone of interest.

Claims

1. A system for containing a zone of interest, the system comprising:

a plurality of casings collectively defining a continuous barrier, each of the casings including a male interlock structure projecting from a side thereof and a plurality of female interlock structures defining recesses, wherein at least one of the plurality of female interlock structures comprises a chamber on an interior of a casing accessible through an opening in a side thereof;

a male interlock structure of at least a first casing residing in a selected female interlock structure recess of a laterally adjacent second casing, and

a sealant disposed in the selected female interlock structure recess and contacting the male interlock structure of the at least first casing to form a seal between the at least a first casing and the second casing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the male interlock structure has a T-shaped cross sectional configuration.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the male interlock includes a leading edge having at least a sharpened edge portion.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the casings are constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of ceramic, aggregate and polymeric materials.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises a channel inside the casing.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising at least one bleed slot in a wall within the casing disposed between the channel and a bore of the casing.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein at least one wall within the casing bounding the channel in combination with an external wall of the casing defines a grout injection manifold.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a corrosion resistant coating disposed on the at least one casing of the plurality.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the corrosion resistant coating comprises a polymer or bonded ceramic.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sealant comprises a thermoplastic material.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sealant comprises a material with sufficient elasticity to maintain the seal if slight movement of the laterally adjacent casings occurs.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor attached to at least one casing.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor the integrity of the barrier.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of migration sensors, acoustic and ultrasound reflectometry sensors and optical fiber sensors.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor an aspect of the zone of interest.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of presence sensors, concentration sensors, distributions sensors and radiation monitors.

17. A system for containing a zone of interest, the system comprising:

plurality of tubular casings collectively defining continuous barrier, each of the casings including a male interlock structure and a plurality of female interlock structures defining recesses, a male interlock structure of at least a first casing residing in a selected female interlock structure recess of a laterally adjacent second casing;

a sealant disposed in the selected female interlock structure recess and contacting the male interlock structure of the at least first casing to form a seal between the at least first casing and the second casing; and

a hollow elongated body fixed inside and extending generally parallel along a longitudinal axis of at least one of the plurality of casings, wherein at least one chamber is defined between an exterior surface of the hollow elongated body and an interior surface of the at least one of the plurality of casings.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a first reactive layer disposed in the hollow elongated body, the first reactive layer configured to react with a contaminant exiting a zone of interest into an opening extending through a wall of the hollow elongated body.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the reactive layer comprises a replaceable reactive slug.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a second reactive layer disposed adjacent to the first reactive layer, the second reactive layer configured to react with the contaminant exiting the first reactive layer.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of female interlock structures comprises a chamber within a casing and accessible through an opening in a side thereof.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the chamber is substantially filled with the sealant.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein an inside of the hollow elongated body is substantially filled with the sealant.

24. A system for containing a zone of interest, the system comprising:

plurality of casings collectively defining a continuous barrier, each of the casings including a male interlock structure and a plurality of female interlock structures defining recesses, a male interlock structure of at least a first casing residing in a selected female interlock structure recess of a laterally adjacent second casing;

a sealant disposed in the selected female interlock structure recess and contacting the male interlock structure of the at least first casing to form a seal between the at least first casing and the second casing; and

a tunnel located under the zone of interest, at least some of the plurality of casings in communication with the tunnel.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein at least some of the plurality of casings are oriented so that a fluid collected within the at least some of plurality of casings flows to the tunnel.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the fluid is a liquid.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the fluid is a gaseous effluent.

28. A system for containing a zone of interest, the system comprising:

a plurality of casings collectively defining a continuous barrier, each of the casings including a male interlock structure and a plurality of female interlock structures defining recesses, a male interlock structure of at least a first casing residing in a selected female interlock structure recess of a laterally adjacent second casing;

a sealant disposed in the selected female interlock structure recess and contacting the male interlock structure of the at least first casing to form a seal between the at least first casing and the second casing;

a hollow elongated body fixed inside and extending generally parallel along a longitudinal axis of at least one of the plurality of casings, wherein at least one chamber is defined between an exterior surface of the hollow elongated body and an interior surface of the at least one of the plurality of casings;

a first reactive layer disposed in the hollow elongated body, the first reactive layer configured to react with a contaminant exiting a zone of interest into an opening extending through a wall of the hollow elongated body; and

a second reactive layer disposed adjacent to the first reactive layer, the second reactive layer configured to react with a contaminant exiting the first reactive layer.