Helical Soil Injection Auger for Depollution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current in situ soil remediation techniques, such as cuff tube and soil-mixing processes, face limitations in treating low-permeability soils without destructuring the land or generating excessive spoilage, particularly in loamy or clayey soils.

Innovation Solution

A process involving an auger with a hollow core and helical turn, rotated and translated to inject a depolluting product in a helical band without mixing the soil, combined with compaction steps to preserve soil mechanical properties and minimize spoil generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If soil-mixing technique is used to treat low-permeability soils, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but soil mechanical characteristics are degraded and ground is destructured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidsoil mechanical characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The injection process is segmented into two distinct phases: a screwing phase where the auger penetrates the ground without injecting product, and an unscrewing phase where the auger extracts while injecting the depolluting product. This segmentation allows the auger to penetrate low-permeability soils without mixing them, preserving soil structure while enabling effective product delivery to the contamination zone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention inverts the conventional sequence by injecting the depolluting product during the extraction (unscrewing) phase rather than during insertion. This inversion allows the auger to first create a pathway through the soil, then deliver the product while withdrawing, avoiding soil mixing and mechanical degradation while ensuring product distribution in low-permeability soils.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If soil-mixing process is implemented to overcome permeability limitations, then treatment coverage is improved, but time consumption and implementation cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment coverageVSAvoidimplementation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The auger performs preliminary action by screwing into the ground first to create a pathway and displace soil laterally, preparing the ground for product injection. This preliminary mechanical action opens channels in low-permeability soils without requiring extensive mixing, reducing the time needed compared to traditional soil-mixing methods while ensuring adequate product distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If auger is screwed into ground without rotation during extraction, then soil structure is preserved, but product injection efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoil structureVSAvoidinjection efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the auger's rotational state based on the operational phase: the auger rotates during the screwing phase to penetrate the ground efficiently, then stops rotating during the unscrewing and injection phase to preserve soil structure. This dynamic control of rotational movement optimizes both penetration efficiency and product injection effectiveness while minimizing soil disturbance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables effective, localized treatment of contaminated soils with minimal disruption and spoil production, allowing the depolluting product to diffuse and treat the area without breaking down the soil structure.

Implementation Method 1

an auger (12) comprising a hollow core (14) having a longitudinal axis (A) and a helical coil (16) surrounding the hollow core (14), the auger (12) being rotatable around the longitudinal axis (A)... the auger is screwed into the ground in a substantially vertical direction of introduction; then a step of raising the auger is carried out during which the auger is unscrewed while injecting the depolluting product into the ground so as to form a helical band

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHelical motion: Helix

Implementation Method 2

The helical strip of decontaminating product will then gradually diffuse into the soil in order to treat the contaminated area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentEP3623065B1Method for injecting a pollution-removing product into soil in the form of a helical strip and corresponding apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.10.30 SOLETANCHE FREYSSINET SAS
  • EP3623065B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3623065B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3623065B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a method of injecting a depolluting product into soil, in which: an auger is screwed into the soil in a substantially vertical direction of introduction; then a step of raising the auger is carried out during which the auger is unscrewed while injecting the depolluting product into the soil so as to form a helical band (Z) of depolluting product extending around the longitudinal axis (A).