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

Title: Method and apparatus for the in situ decontamination of underground water with the aid of solar energy

Abstract

A method for the in situ decontamination of underground water containing -volatile contaminants comprising continuously contacting in situ underground water containing non-volatile contaminants with a liquid-absorbent material possessing high capillary activity, allowing the non-volatile contaminants to deposit in the material while the water moves upwardly through the material by capillary action, allowing substantially decontaminated water to be volatilized by impinging solar radiation, and then allowing the volatilized water to escape from the material into the atmosphere. An apparatus for the in situ decontamination of underground water containing non-volatile contaminants comprising at least one water-impermeable elongated conduit having an upper portion and first and second open ends and containing a homogeneous liquid-absorbent material possessing high capillary activity, means for supporting said conduit, and means for accelerating the escape of the volatilized decontamined water from the material, said means being detachably connected to the second end of the elongated conduit; wherein when underground water contaminated with non-volatile contaminants is continuously contacted in situ with the material contained in the first end of the conduit and the second end of the conduit is placed in contact with atmospheric air, non-volatile contaminants deposit in said material as the water moves upwardly through the materialmore » by capillary action, is then volatilized by impinging solar energy and escapes to the atmosphere.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Pittsburgh, PA
  2. Elizabeth, PA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
867185
Patent Number(s):
4882071
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B09 - DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE B09C - RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
C - CHEMISTRY C02 - TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE C02F - TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
DOE Contract Number:  
AC11-76PN00014
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; apparatus; situ; decontamination; underground; water; solar; energy; containing; -volatile; contaminants; comprising; continuously; contacting; non-volatile; liquid-absorbent; material; possessing; capillary; activity; allowing; deposit; moves; upwardly; action; substantially; decontaminated; volatilized; impinging; radiation; escape; atmosphere; water-impermeable; elongated; conduit; upper; portion; homogeneous; means; supporting; accelerating; decontamined; detachably; connected; contaminated; contacted; contained; placed; contact; atmospheric; air; escapes; atmospheric air; ground water; situ decontamination; underground water; contaminated water; solar energy; solar radiation; upper portion; water containing; sorbent material; non-volatile contaminants; capillary action; material contained; situ underground; water contaminated; detachably connected; moves upward; material possessing; volatile contaminants; homogeneous liquid; -volatile contaminants; /210/159/202/203/

Citation Formats

Bench, Thomas R, and McCann, Larry D. Method and apparatus for the in situ decontamination of underground water with the aid of solar energy. United States: N. p., 1989. Web.
Bench, Thomas R, & McCann, Larry D. Method and apparatus for the in situ decontamination of underground water with the aid of solar energy. United States.
Bench, Thomas R, and McCann, Larry D. Sun . "Method and apparatus for the in situ decontamination of underground water with the aid of solar energy". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867185.
@article{osti_867185,
title = {Method and apparatus for the in situ decontamination of underground water with the aid of solar energy},
author = {Bench, Thomas R and McCann, Larry D},
abstractNote = {A method for the in situ decontamination of underground water containing -volatile contaminants comprising continuously contacting in situ underground water containing non-volatile contaminants with a liquid-absorbent material possessing high capillary activity, allowing the non-volatile contaminants to deposit in the material while the water moves upwardly through the material by capillary action, allowing substantially decontaminated water to be volatilized by impinging solar radiation, and then allowing the volatilized water to escape from the material into the atmosphere. An apparatus for the in situ decontamination of underground water containing non-volatile contaminants comprising at least one water-impermeable elongated conduit having an upper portion and first and second open ends and containing a homogeneous liquid-absorbent material possessing high capillary activity, means for supporting said conduit, and means for accelerating the escape of the volatilized decontamined water from the material, said means being detachably connected to the second end of the elongated conduit; wherein when underground water contaminated with non-volatile contaminants is continuously contacted in situ with the material contained in the first end of the conduit and the second end of the conduit is placed in contact with atmospheric air, non-volatile contaminants deposit in said material as the water moves upwardly through the material by capillary action, is then volatilized by impinging solar energy and escapes to the atmosphere.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989}
}