DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Methods for characterizing subsurface volatile contaminants using in-situ sensors

Abstract

An inverse analysis method for characterizing diffusion of vapor from an underground source of volatile contaminant using data taken by an in-situ sensor. The method uses one-dimensional solutions to the diffusion equation in Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical coordinates for isotropic and homogenous media. If the effective vapor diffusion coefficient is known, then the distance from the source to the in-situ sensor can be estimated by comparing the shape of the predicted time-dependent vapor concentration response curve to the measured response curve. Alternatively, if the source distance is known, then the effective vapor diffusion coefficient can be estimated using the same inverse analysis method. A triangulation technique can be used with multiple sensors to locate the source in two or three dimensions. The in-situ sensor can contain one or more chemiresistor elements housed in a waterproof enclosure with a gas permeable membrane.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Albuquerque, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
908594
Patent Number(s):
7003405
Application Number:
10/280,258
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01V - GEOPHYSICS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION

Citation Formats

Ho, Clifford K. Methods for characterizing subsurface volatile contaminants using in-situ sensors. United States: N. p., 2006. Web.
Ho, Clifford K. Methods for characterizing subsurface volatile contaminants using in-situ sensors. United States.
Ho, Clifford K. Tue . "Methods for characterizing subsurface volatile contaminants using in-situ sensors". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/908594.
@article{osti_908594,
title = {Methods for characterizing subsurface volatile contaminants using in-situ sensors},
author = {Ho, Clifford K},
abstractNote = {An inverse analysis method for characterizing diffusion of vapor from an underground source of volatile contaminant using data taken by an in-situ sensor. The method uses one-dimensional solutions to the diffusion equation in Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical coordinates for isotropic and homogenous media. If the effective vapor diffusion coefficient is known, then the distance from the source to the in-situ sensor can be estimated by comparing the shape of the predicted time-dependent vapor concentration response curve to the measured response curve. Alternatively, if the source distance is known, then the effective vapor diffusion coefficient can be estimated using the same inverse analysis method. A triangulation technique can be used with multiple sensors to locate the source in two or three dimensions. The in-situ sensor can contain one or more chemiresistor elements housed in a waterproof enclosure with a gas permeable membrane.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2006},
month = {2}
}

Works referenced in this record:

A Comparison of Methods for Predicting Gaseous Diffusion Coefficients
journal, July 1965


Analytical Inverse Model for Multicomponent Soil Vapor Extraction
journal, June 1998


Gas Diffusion in Porous Media
journal, July 1959