US 6,035,701 A · Method and system to locate leaks in subsurface containment structures using tracer gases

Abstract

The present invention integrates an inverse modeling technique and a field measurement system. The system uses inexpensive and non-hazardous gaseous tracers injected inside the contained volume of a barrier to quantify the location and size of any leaks in the barrier. The vapor sampling point installation, which allows the collection of soil gas samples from multiple points around the barrier installation, can be accomplished with conventional drilling or direct push techniques. The system uses a field-proven soil gas analyzer, incorporated in a sampling system capable of monitoring many sample points with relatively high time resolution. A rigorous inverse modeling technology is integrated with the data system for real time analysis.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A method of determining the size and location of one or more leaks in a barrier in real time utilizing tracer gas identification outside of said barrier, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) injecting at least one gas inside said barrier;
(b) providing independent vapor sampling points at a plurality of positions outside of said barrier;
(c) automatically collecting a plurality of independent discrete vapor samples from said vapor sampling points;
(d) automatically analyzing said vapor samples with a gas analyzer and a computer to determine soil gas composition data at at least some of said vapor sealing points;
and
(e) automatically calculating with an algorithm the size and location of said leaks in real time.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system to locate leaks in subsurface containment structures using tracer gases

Life of this patent

Method and system to locate leaks in subsurface containment structures using tracer gases

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29