Methods and systems for in situ temporary containment of shallow contaminated soils

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018200765-A1
Application number	US-201615744358-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2016
Priority date	Jul 22, 2015
Publication date	Jul 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for installing an in situ, low-permeability temporary horizontal barrier at depth for vertical containment of a soil mass including installing a low permeability vertical barrier having walls located to contain a predetermined soil volume, the vertical barrier having a horizontal surface area in a plane perpendicular to its walls; and injecting low permeability reagents capable of forming a temporary horizontal barrier in a pattern suitable for creating a horizontal subsurface barrier joined to all of the vertical barrier walls to form an in situ barrier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for installing an in situ, low-permeability temporary horizontal barrier at depth for vertical containment of a soil mass, the method comprising:
installing a low permeability vertical barrier having a plurality of walls located to contain a predetermined soil volume, the vertical barrier having a horizontal surface area in a plane perpendicular to its walls; and injecting low permeability reagents capable of forming a temporary horizontal barrier in a pattern suitable for creating a horizontal subsurface barrier joined to all of the vertical barrier walls to form an in situ barrier.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising implementing quality assurance and validation procedures after installation of the in situ barrier.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising implementing remediation procedures.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring of the site.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the horizontal barrier through application of a solution capable of dissolving the barrier.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the horizontal barrier degrades in a predefined duration due to environmental conditions.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the low permeability reagents capable of forming a horizontal barrier are selected from the group consisting of sodium bentonite, enzyme-induced calcite precipitation, biopolymers, guar, microorganisms, vegetable oil, polysaccharide polymers, and xanthan gum.

8 . A system for installing an in situ, low-permeability horizontal barrier for vertical containment of soil contaminants, the system comprising:
a low permeability vertical barrier having a plurality of walls located to contain a predetermined soil volume, the vertical barrier having a horizontal surface area in a plane perpendicular to its walls; an injection tool including an injection channel and a plurality of distribution ports for boring into the predetermined soil volume and injecting low permeability reagents capable of forming a temporary horizontal barrier to create a horizontal subsurface barrier joined to all of the vertical barrier walls to form an in situ barrier, where the injection tool includes an injection channel and a plurality of distribution ports.

9 . The system of claim 8 further comprising implementing quality assurance and validation procedures after installation of the in situ barrier.

10 . The system of claim 8 further comprising implementing remediation procedures including the injection and mixing of remediation agents in the treatment zone during placement and/or retrieval of the injection tool.

11 . The system of claim 8 further comprising monitoring of the site.

12 . The system of claim 8 further comprising removing the horizontal barrier through application of a solution capable of dissolving the barrier.

13 . The system of claim 8 wherein the horizontal barrier degrades due to environmental conditions.

14 . The system of claim 8 wherein the low permeability reagents capable of forming a horizontal barrier are selected from the group consisting of sodium bentonite, enzyme-induced calcite precipitation, biopolymers, guar and xanthan gum.

15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the reagent comprises sodium bentonite having a dosage in solution in the range of 10% w/v to 20% w/v.

16 . The system of claim 14 wherein the reagent comprises xanthan gum having a dosage in solution in the range of 0.1% w/v to 1.0% w/v.

17 . The system of claim 14 wherein the reagent comprises guar gum having a dosage in solution in the range of 0.5% w/v to 3.0% w/v.

18 . A method for field deployment of an in situ, low-permeability horizontal barrier for vertical containment of soil contaminants comprising:
transporting equipment and materials to a target site; installing material for forming a horizontal barrier using vertical or horizontal drilling; curing the in situ horizontal barrier; and installing a vertical barrier to laterally contain a predetermined soil volume.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising implementing quality assurance and validation.

20 . The method of claim 18 further comprising installing an optional monitoring system.

21 . The method of claim 1 wherein installing the vertical barrier comprises horizontal or direction drilling.

Assignees

• Univ Arizona State

Inventors

• Halden Rolf U
• Kavazanjian Edward
• Jenck Alizee M
• Hamdan Nasser
• Hoelen Thomas

Classifications

• E02D31/002

  Ground foundation measures for protecting the soil or subsoil water, e.g. preventing or counteracting oil pollution (not used, see subgroups and E02D31/00) · CPC title

• E02D2250/003

  Injection of material · CPC title

• B09C2101/00

  In situ · CPC title

• C04B14/104

  Bentonite, e.g. montmorillonite · CPC title

• C08B37/0096

  Guar, guar gum, guar flour, guaran, i.e. (beta-1,4) linked D-mannose units in the main chain branched with D-galactose units in (alpha-1,6), e.g. from Cyamopsis Tetragonolobus; Derivatives thereof · CPC title