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Title: Development of a subsurface gas flow probe

Abstract

This report describes a project to develop a flow probe to monitor gas movement in the vadose zone due to passive venting or active remediation efforts such as soil vapor extraction. 3-D and 1-D probes were designed, fabricated, tested in known flow fields under laboratory conditions, and field tested. The 3-D pores were based on technology developed for ground water flow monitoring. The probes gave excellent agreement with measured air velocities in the laboratory tests. Data processing software developed for ground water flow probes was modified for use with air flow, and to accommodate various probe designs. Modifications were made to decrease the cost of the probes, including developing a downhole multiplexer. Modeling indicated problems with flow channeling due to the mode of deployment. Additional testing was conducted and modifications were made to the probe and to the deployment methods. The probes were deployed at three test sites: a large outdoor test tank, a brief vapor extraction test at the Chemical Waste landfill, and at an active remediation site at a local gas station. The data from the field tests varied markedly from the laboratory test data. All of the major events such as vapor extraction system turn on andmore » turn off, as well as changes in the flow rate, could be seen in the data. However, there were long term trends in the data which were much larger than the velocity signals, which made it difficult to determine accurate air velocities. These long term trends may be due to changes in soil moisture content and seasonal ground temperature variations.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
481565
Report Number(s):
SAND-97-0844
ON: DE97006288; TRN: AHC29712%%108
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Apr 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
44 INSTRUMENTATION, INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; REMEDIAL ACTION; FLOWMETERS; DATA PROCESSING; INSTALLATION; FIELD TESTS; GAS INJECTION; MONITORING; GAS FLOW; DESIGN; OPERATION; PERFORMANCE

Citation Formats

Cutler, R.P., Ballard, S., Barker, G.T., Keefe, R.G., Chavez, M.P., Stockman, H.W., and Romero, L.. Development of a subsurface gas flow probe. United States: N. p., 1997. Web. doi:10.2172/481565.
Cutler, R.P., Ballard, S., Barker, G.T., Keefe, R.G., Chavez, M.P., Stockman, H.W., & Romero, L.. Development of a subsurface gas flow probe. United States. doi:10.2172/481565.
Cutler, R.P., Ballard, S., Barker, G.T., Keefe, R.G., Chavez, M.P., Stockman, H.W., and Romero, L.. Tue . "Development of a subsurface gas flow probe". United States. doi:10.2172/481565. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/481565.
@article{osti_481565,
title = {Development of a subsurface gas flow probe},
author = {Cutler, R.P. and Ballard, S. and Barker, G.T. and Keefe, R.G. and Chavez, M.P. and Stockman, H.W. and Romero, L.},
abstractNote = {This report describes a project to develop a flow probe to monitor gas movement in the vadose zone due to passive venting or active remediation efforts such as soil vapor extraction. 3-D and 1-D probes were designed, fabricated, tested in known flow fields under laboratory conditions, and field tested. The 3-D pores were based on technology developed for ground water flow monitoring. The probes gave excellent agreement with measured air velocities in the laboratory tests. Data processing software developed for ground water flow probes was modified for use with air flow, and to accommodate various probe designs. Modifications were made to decrease the cost of the probes, including developing a downhole multiplexer. Modeling indicated problems with flow channeling due to the mode of deployment. Additional testing was conducted and modifications were made to the probe and to the deployment methods. The probes were deployed at three test sites: a large outdoor test tank, a brief vapor extraction test at the Chemical Waste landfill, and at an active remediation site at a local gas station. The data from the field tests varied markedly from the laboratory test data. All of the major events such as vapor extraction system turn on and turn off, as well as changes in the flow rate, could be seen in the data. However, there were long term trends in the data which were much larger than the velocity signals, which made it difficult to determine accurate air velocities. These long term trends may be due to changes in soil moisture content and seasonal ground temperature variations.},
doi = {10.2172/481565},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1997},
month = {Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1997}
}

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