Method of remediation of contaminants in porous media through minimization of bouyancy effects
Abstract
A method for controlling vertical migration of contaminants in an aquifer includes introduction of a solubilizing solution having a surfactant and an alcohol or other light co-solvent. The surfactant is selected to solubilize the contaminant. The alcohol or other solvent is selected to provide the microemulsion with a substantially neutral buoyancy with respect to groundwater. The neutral buoyancy of the microemulsion prevents the normal downward movement which is typical of the solubilized dense non-aqueous phase liquid in surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation. Thus, the risk that any significant amount of the solubilized dense non-aqueous contaminants will migrate vertically can be controlled. The relative tendency for vertical migration may also be reduced by increasing the injection rate or injected fluid viscosity (by adding polymer), or by reducing the well spacing.
- Inventors:
-
- Rigby, ID
- Austin, TX
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872701
- Patent Number(s):
- 5993660
- Assignee:
- Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company (Idaho Falls, ID)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B09 - DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE B09C - RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
C - CHEMISTRY C09 - DYES C09K - MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-94ID13223
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; remediation; contaminants; porous; media; minimization; bouyancy; effects; controlling; vertical; migration; aquifer; introduction; solubilizing; solution; surfactant; alcohol; light; co-solvent; selected; solubilize; contaminant; solvent; provide; microemulsion; substantially; neutral; buoyancy; respect; groundwater; prevents; normal; downward; movement; typical; solubilized; dense; non-aqueous; phase; liquid; surfactant-enhanced; risk; significant; amount; migrate; vertically; controlled; relative; tendency; reduced; increasing; injection; rate; injected; fluid; viscosity; adding; polymer; reducing; spacing; porous media; phase liquid; injection rate; aqueous phase; significant amount; downward movement; fluid viscosity; /210/405/510/516/
Citation Formats
Shook, G Michael, and Pope, Gary A. Method of remediation of contaminants in porous media through minimization of bouyancy effects. United States: N. p., 1999.
Web.
Shook, G Michael, & Pope, Gary A. Method of remediation of contaminants in porous media through minimization of bouyancy effects. United States.
Shook, G Michael, and Pope, Gary A. Fri .
"Method of remediation of contaminants in porous media through minimization of bouyancy effects". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872701.
@article{osti_872701,
title = {Method of remediation of contaminants in porous media through minimization of bouyancy effects},
author = {Shook, G Michael and Pope, Gary A},
abstractNote = {A method for controlling vertical migration of contaminants in an aquifer includes introduction of a solubilizing solution having a surfactant and an alcohol or other light co-solvent. The surfactant is selected to solubilize the contaminant. The alcohol or other solvent is selected to provide the microemulsion with a substantially neutral buoyancy with respect to groundwater. The neutral buoyancy of the microemulsion prevents the normal downward movement which is typical of the solubilized dense non-aqueous phase liquid in surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation. Thus, the risk that any significant amount of the solubilized dense non-aqueous contaminants will migrate vertically can be controlled. The relative tendency for vertical migration may also be reduced by increasing the injection rate or injected fluid viscosity (by adding polymer), or by reducing the well spacing.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1999},
month = {1}
}