Removing contaminants from groundwater
OwnerNoel A. Shenoiinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for removing hydrocarbon contaminants from groundwater. The apparatus preferably removes contaminants from groundwater by heating the groundwater to a temperature at which the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the liquid groundwater. Sparge air may be passed through the groundwater to assist in separating the vaporized contaminant. Further, a vacuum may be applied to lower the vaporization temperature of the contaminant. The extracted hydrocarbons are preferably destroyed in a thermal or catalytic oxidizer while the groundwater with the vaporized contaminant removed is preferably pumped through activated carbon filters to further reduce the amount of contaminants to governmental standards.
Claims29
A method for removing contaminant from groundwater, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) extracting groundwater including contaminate from the ground;
- (b) placing the extracted groundwater into a tank;
- (c) applying a vacuum to the tank;
- (d) heating the extracted groundwater to a temperature at which at least a portion of the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the extracted groundwater, thereby forming cleaned water;
- (e) removing the vaporized contaminant from the tank;
- and
- (f) removing the cleaned water from the tank.
A method for removing a contaminant from groundwater, the method comprising:
- (a) placing groundwater containing the contaminant into a tank;
- and
- (b) heating the groundwater in the tank to a temperature at which at least a portion of the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the groundwater, thereby forming cleaned water.
A method for removing a contaminant from groundwater comprising the steps of:
- (a) applying a vacuum to groundwater containing the contaminant to create a pressure at which the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the groundwater;
- and
- (b) agitating the groundwater to assist in separating the contaminant.
A device for use in separating a contaminant from contaminated water, the device comprising:
- (a) a tank comprising an agitator and a heating element;
- (b) a first conduit for transferring the contaminated water to the tank, the first conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first conduit being connected to the tank;
- (c) a second conduit for transferring vaporized contaminant out of the tank;
- and
- (d) a third conduit for transferring cleaned water out of the tank, the third conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third conduit being connected to the tank.
The device of claim 27 wherein the carbon filter comprises one or more carbon tanks.
A method for removing a contaminant from water comprising:
- (a) placing water containing the contaminant into a tank;
- and
- (b) heating the water in the tank to a temperature at which at least a portion the contaminant vaporizes and separates from the water, thereby forming cleaned water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.