Liquid purification or separation – Structural installation – Geographic
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-03
2001-12-04
Upton, Christopher (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Structural installation
Geographic
C210S220000, C210S747300, C405S128450
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325924
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for removing contaminants from dredge material. More specifically, the present invention relates to a reactor vessel which generates a slurry vortex to treat contaminated sediments in an underwater environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, technologies for managing contaminated dredge material in an under water environment require elaborate contaminant separation, handling, treatment and disposal facilities and processes. Innovative dredge heads have been designed during the last decade in an attempt to mitigate the environmental impact of dredging in conjunction with site specific operations for the removal of contaminants from the ocean floor and monitoring procedures for determining the level of contamination.
Nevertheless, physical removal of contaminated sediments by conventional dredging technologies invariably results in contaminant losses and off site migration due to the generation of sediment plumes and desorption of contaminants when exposed to oxidizing lacustrine or sea water. Following removal, highly contaminated dredged material can be classified as hazardous waste, requiring physical separation from “clean spoils”, or non-contaminated sand and soils, special handling, ex situ treatment and/or expensive disposal in land based hazardous waste sites. The disposal of highly contaminated dredged material can be very costly, i.e., up to one thousand dollars per cubic yard. There is also the additional problem of filling land fills with contaminated sediments since these land fills generally have limited available space for hazardous waste disposal.
In many cases, severe contaminated sediments are derived from a single pollutant source, such as a shore-based industrial facility which has dumped contaminants into a nearby stream or river or directly into the lake or ocean. In these cases the contamination is often concentrated in “hot spots” in close proximity to their source.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide for a reactor vessel device which allows for in situ cleanup of highly contaminated sediment reducing “hot spot” sediment contaminant levels. Reducing “hot spot” sediment contaminant levels allows for the leaving of cleaned sediments in their place, or for the removal and disposal by conventional dredging methods with minimal environmental risk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes some of the difficulties of the past including those mentioned above in that it comprises a relatively simple yet highly effective reactor vessel for in situ cleanup of severe sediment contamination in an underwater environment.
A slurry is generated within the reactor vessel after the reactor vessel penetrates an area of the ocean floor which includes severe sediment contamination. The contaminated sediments contained within the reactor are entrained into the slurry created by a circulation pump in combination with discharge flow jets mounted in a radial network inside the reactor vessel. Anchoring vanes attached to the exterior of the reactor vessel resist torque moment induced by the slurry vortex. A remediation fluid is injected into the slurry and controlled by circulation to and from a holding/process tank of the portable surface treatment unit. Following treatment, the reactor vessel is removed from the sediment by reversing the emplacement pumping procedure and is relocated and reset on an adjacent area.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3967393 (1976-07-01), Nixon
patent: 4133761 (1979-01-01), Postgate
patent: 4808305 (1989-02-01), Arnold
patent: 4944872 (1990-07-01), Kantor
patent: 5478473 (1995-12-01), Oshima
patent: 5549828 (1996-08-01), Erlich
patent: 5565096 (1996-10-01), Phelan
Kalmbaugh David
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
Upton Christopher
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