Capabilities of enhanced pump-and-treat and alternative technologies
- Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States). Geography and Environmental Engineering
Numerous innovative technologies exist that have the potential to improve significantly the efficiency of ground water cleanups, especially when technologies suited to specific types of contaminants or specific hydrogeological environments are combined. Conventional pump-and-treat systems are used at approximately three-quarters of sites with contaminated ground water. Innovative technologies can be divided into two categories: enhanced pump-and-treat systems,''which require the pumping of fluids, and alternative technologies,'' which do not require pumping. Conventional pump-and-treat systems pump relatively large volumes of water with relatively low contaminant concentrations. Because of the slow rates of contaminant desorption and dissolution, these systems must displace many volumes of aquifer water to flush out contaminants. Conventional pump-and-treat systems are therefore an inherently inefficient method for removing contaminants, even if they are effective in some cases. The enhanced pump-and-treat systems improve the efficiency of contaminant removal and lessen pumping requirements under certain conditions. These technologies can enhance contaminant removal and destruction compared to conventional systems, but each requires pumping fluids through the subsurface and will therefore have some of the same limitations as conventional pump-and-treat systems. Conventional pump-and-trade systems and the enhancements require a continuous energy input for pumping water or air. The alternative approaches do not require a continuous energy input and therefore may be less costly. These methods show promise, but they are in the development stage, and their long-term effectiveness has not yet been demonstrated.
- OSTI ID:
- 7124913
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410209-; CODEN: GRWAAP
- Journal Information:
- Ground Water; (United States), Vol. 32:5; Conference: Ground water remediation: existing technology and future direction, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 9-12 Oct 1994; ISSN 0017-467X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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