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US 5,416,257 AGranted
Open frozen barrier flow control and remediation of hazardous soil
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorRaymond P. Peters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Treatment of flowable underground contaminants comprises freezing at least one open underground barrier volume to form a wall (10) near the contaminated region (12) in the ground (14), where the wall (10) is positioned to direct the contaminant flow (16) along a subsurface path (18) and allow concentration of the contaminants and their remediation.
Claims13
A method of treating flowable contaminants beneath a surface region in the ground comprising:
- freezing at least one, open subsurface barrier volume of earth in the form of a wall structure near the contaminated region, and positioning the frozen barrier such that the flow of contaminants is directed along a predetermined, subsurface path causing concentration of contaminants.
A method of treating flowable contaminants beneath a surface region in the ground, characterized by:
- (A) freezing a subsurface barrier volume of earth, having two end portions and a central portion, partly surrounding the contaminated region and vertically extending to an impervious strata layer;
- (B) positioning the frozen barrier to allow a flow of contaminants within the subsurface barrier through an opening between the two end portions of the barrier in a manner to concentrate the contaminants;
- and
- (C) concentrating the contaminants.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.