Process for removing oxidants from water injected into a subsurface aquifer to prevent mobilization of trace metals
AssigneeEntrix Co., Ltd.
InventorMark S. Pearce
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Abstract
A method for providing for the use of underground aquifers for water storage for municipalities or recharge. Water is treated and injected for storage in the aquifer by the addition of a small amount of a sulfide compound to remove dissolved oxygen and prevent dissolution of negative valence sulfur bearing minerals, such as pyrite, in the subsurface. The stored water may be subsequently withdrawn from the aquifer and treated to remove residual amounts of sulfide ions. The withdrawn water being suitable as potable water, irrigation water, industrial use water, and aquifer water level enhancement water.
Claims9
A method to prevent pyrite dissolution in natural underground aquifers utilized for water storage comprising:
- (a) injecting a measured amount of a sulfide compound into water to be stored in the underground aquifer thereby forming a treated water, pumping the treated water into the underground aquifer, wherein infection of said measured amount of sulfide compound causes a range of approximately 0.5 ppm to approximately 10 ppm sulfides by weight in the treated water, and wherein the amount of sulfide compound injected into said water to be stored is based on the measured flow rate and nature of said water to be stored,
- (b) storing the treated water in said underground aquifer;
- (c) subsequently withdrawing the treated water from said underground aquifer and measuring the amount of sulfide in said withdrawn treated water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.