Groundwater remediation system

• US 6,818,136 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RRS, LLC
• Original Assignee: RSS LLC
• Inventors: Marek, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US10/310,223
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 210/747, 210/758, 210/760, 210/749, 210/610, 210/220, 261/77
• US Class Current: 210/747.7
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/002 involving in-situ ground water treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/06 Contaminated groundwater or leachate

Abstract

A process where gas bubbles are produced under a partial vacuum and are dynamically agitated creating a vortex that allows for homogenization of the gas desired for dissolution into the affected aquifer. The technology is applied through installation of the apparatus into treatment wells. The treatment wells are installed as stand-alone wells where hydrogeological conditions are conductive, i.e. sandy aquifers, fractured bedrock aquifers, or in treatment cells where hydrogeological conditions are less conductive, i.e. saturated sediments that are clay rich. The system does not use a compressed gas, compressed air source, or forced air/gas through the use of compressors or blowers. Rather, it uses cavitation to produce a slight vacuum to draw gas or air through a snorkel apparatus that is attached to the gas mixing chamber of the unit. The unit is installed so that it is submerged in the treatment well below the water table. The gas is expelled under a slight vacuum from the base of the unit through a perforated base plate. A turbine is turned at a high rate of rotations per minute below the perforated plate, and causes the cavitation and vortex dynamics. This produces very small gas bubbles resulting in large gas surface exposure to the groundwater being treated. The gas bubbles experience a long retention time due to their small size and from the vortex produced by the system, which keeps the bubbles in suspension. The vortex dynamics provides a constant and consistent flux of dissolved gas to the aquifer. This translates to an efficient, energy saving system that conserves the amount of gas needed to produce the dissolved gas levels desired.

Claims

1. A method of treating contaminated groundwater, comprising the steps of:

drawing a treatment gas from a supply source to a discharge point below a water table containing contaminated groundwater;

creating a downwardly directed vortex in the groundwater adjacent to the discharge point within a treatment well including a riser pipe having a screened interval, whereby the treatment gas is drawn into the vortex to form bubbles of treatment gas for dissolution into the groundwater.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment gas is atomospheric air.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment gas is butane.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment gas is ozone.

5. An apparatus for treating contaminated groundwater, comprising:

a housing disposed below a water table containing contaminated groundwater;

a drive motor disposed within the housing;

a turbine driveably attached to the drive motor;

a gas mixing chamber disposed within the housing above the turbine;

a gas delivery tube having a lower end disposed in communication with the gas mixing chamber and an upper end extending up above the water table to a treatment gas supply source; and

a gas delivery hole formed in a portion of the gas mixing chamber above the turbine.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the drive motor is a variable speed hydraulic motor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the hydraulic motor is driveably coupled to a hydraulic pump disposed above the water table.

8. A method of treating contaminated groundwater, comprising the steps of:

providing a treatment gas from a supply source for delivery to a discharge point below a water table containing contaminated groundwater;

creating a downwardly directed vortex in the groundwater adjacent to the discharge point, said vortex resulting in cavitation which produces a vacuum, whereby the treatment gas is drawn by said vacuum into the vortex to form bubbles of treatment gas for dissolution into the groundwater.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the vortex is created within a treatment well.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the treatment well includes a riser pipe having a screened interval.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the treatment gas is atomospheric air.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the treatment gas is butane.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the treatment gas is ozone.