Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Site remediation in a virtual environment

Conference ·
OSTI ID:10149668

We describe the process used in combining an existing computer simulation with both Virtual Reality (VR) input and output devices, and conventional visualization tools, so as to make the simulation easier to use and the results easier to understand. VR input technology facilitates direct user manipulation of three dimensional simulation parameters. Commercially available visualization tools provide a flexible environment for representing abstract scientific data. VR output technology provides a more flexible and convincing way to view the visualization results than is afforded in contemporary visualization software. The desired goal of this process is a prototype system that minimizes man-machine interface barriers, as well as enhanced control over the simulation itself, so as to maximize the use of scientific judgement and intuition. In environmental remediation, the goal is to clean up contaminants either by removing them or rendering them non-toxic. A computer model simulates water or chemical flooding to mobilize and extract hydrocarbon contaminants from a volume of saturated soil/rock. Several wells are drilled in the vicinity of the contaminant, water and/or chemicals are injected into some of the wells, and fluid containing the mobilized hydrocarbons is pumped out of the remaining wells. The user is tasked with finding well locations and pumping rates that maximize recovery of the contaminants while minimizing drilling and pumping costs to clean up the site of interest.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
10149668
Report Number(s):
LBL--34865; CONF-940247--4; ON: DE94011376
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English