Hydraulic and earth engineering – Soil remediation – In situ contaminant removal or stabilization
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-18
2001-01-09
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Soil remediation
In situ contaminant removal or stabilization
C405S129200, C405S258100, C405S263000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171024
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an injection hopper adapted for use in a material delivery system for the environmental treatment of solid, semisolid, and liquid waste. Such waste is commonly generated as a by-product of industrial plants, and then stored in man-made sludge lagoons for later processing. The delivery system conveys sludge-hardening reagent from a supply location at or above the sludge surface to a working location below the surface in the lagoon. A rotating mixer assembly blends the reagent and sludge together. The resulting mixture reacts causing the lagoon to harden sufficient for supporting trucks and other vehicles. After treatment, the solidified lagoon can be capped with a protective layer and used as a parking lot, equipment storage area, or the like.
According to one prior art waste treatment system, an industrial excavator including rotating tines 5-15 feet long is used for injecting and blending a reagent slurry below the surface into a waste lagoon. Unlike the present invention, this system is inapplicable for pneumatically conveying dry reagent from a supply location at or above the surface to a working location below the surface. Moreover, the prior art system does not include a reagent storage hopper attached directly to the stick of the excavator and adapted for being carried downwardly into the lagoon to treat the lagoon from the bottom up.
Other prior art waste treatment systems employ an excavator with a mixing assembly mounted on the stick and a remote reagent delivery source. These system are generally incapable of properly supplying and controlling reagent delivery to the specific target area being treated. Such problems typical result in treated areas having non-uniform hardness and consistency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which injects a controlled amount of reagent below the surface directly to an area being treated.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which results in treated areas of uniform hardness and consistency.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which controls the release of reagent dust to the atmosphere during mixing.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which is capable of conveying dry reagent from a supply location above the sludge surface to a working location below the sludge surface.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which allows precise measurement and monitoring of reagent injected into the lagoon.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which is computerized and programmable for automatic operation.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which includes an alarm system for indicating operational breakdowns.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which is operable in temperatures as cold as −30 degrees F.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which is operable in other adverse whether conditions, such as heavy rain and snow.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which uses portable equipment for allowing relocation of the system to other project sites.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which monitors the amount of reagent delivered to a particular area and the total days of production.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which includes instrumentation for indicating the reagent feed rate during mixing.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which delivers a controlled amount of reagent to a precise target area below the surface of the sludge lagoon.
It is another object of the invention to provide a reagent delivery system which delivers reagent directly to an area proximate the rotating mixer drums.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a material injection hopper adapted for mounting on a movable working arm of a self-propelled vehicle. The injection hopper is carried downwardly by the working aim into a waste storage lagoon to deliver waste-processing material to a predetermined subsurface target area in the lagoon. The injection hopper includes a hopper body defined by walls and including an inlet for receiving the material to be delivered to the lagoon, and an outlet downstream of the inlet for discharging the material. An auger conveyor is located within the hopper body and arranged between the inlet and the outlet for moving the material entering the hopper body downstream and outwardly through the outlet to the subsurface target area in the lagoon.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, a longitudinal injection chute is formed at the outlet of the hopper body for delivering the waste-processing material to the subsurface target area in the waste lagoon.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the auger conveyor includes a longitudinal drive shaft and a helical conveyor blade. The conveyor blade extends within the injection chute for moving material in the hopper body outwardly through the outlet and into the waste lagoon.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a second auger conveyor is located in the hopper body and extends generally perpendicular to the first auger conveyer for moving material in the hopper body laterally towards a mouth of the injection chute. The second auger conveyor includes a lateral drive shaft and a helical blade.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the helical blade of the second auger conveyer includes a first blade segment extending in a helical path around the lateral drive shaft on one side of the first auger conveyer, and a spaced-apart second blade segment extending in an opposite helical path around the lateral drive shaft on an opposite side of the first auger conveyer. The material on each side of the first auger conveyer is moved towards the mouth of the injection chute.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection chute is generally cylindrical.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the length of the injection chute is greater than three times the diameter of the injection chute.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a protective guard is attached to a free end of the injection chute to protect the end from damage as the working arm of the vehicle carries the injection hopper downwardly into the waste lagoon.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of baffles extend longitudinally within the hopper body between the inlet and the outlet for dividing the body into separate compartments.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the inlet of the hopper body includes an inlet tube extending laterally within the body and having a plurality of openings adjacent respective compartments for distributing material to each of the compartments.
In another embodiment, a material injection hopper is used in combination with a waste mixer mounted on a free end of a movable working arm of a self-propelled vehicle. The material injection hopper is attached to the working arm adjacent the waste mixer for being carried downwardly into a waste storage lagoon to deliver waste-processing material to a predetermined subsurface target area in the lagoon. The injection hopper includes a hopper body having an inlet for receiving the material to be delivered to the lagoon, and an outlet downstream of the inlet for discharging the material. An auger conveyor is located within the hopper body and arranged between the inlet and the outlet for moving the material entering the body downstream and outwardly through the outlet to
Curtis Don V.
Labus Edward J.
Adams, Schwartz & Evans P.A.
J. A. Jones Environmental Services Company
Lee Jong-Suk
Will Thomas B.
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