Porous Membrane Gas Diffusion for Groundwater Decontamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current groundwater remediation technologies, such as Pump & Treat and Air-Sparging, are costly, environmentally impactful, and inefficient due to high energy consumption, biofouling, and the need for extensive infrastructure, while in situ technologies like ISOC and ORC face limitations in oxygen diffusion and biofouling, leading to prolonged remediation times and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A gas injection system utilizing a porous microstructured membrane for in situ gas diffusion, which eliminates the need for electric energy, reduces biofouling, and achieves high gas concentrations, allowing for efficient oxidation or reduction processes without waste production, using gases like oxygen, ozone, hydrogen, or methane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If Air-Sparging is used to treat groundwater, then oxygen dissolution in groundwater is achieved, but stripping processes occur and volatile substances are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous diffuser element that allows controlled gas dissolution into groundwater. The porous structure provides large surface area for gas-liquid contact, enabling efficient oxygen transfer while preventing excessive gas flow that would cause stripping of volatile contaminants.
Solution Approach 2:
The system controls gas flow parameters to optimize oxygen dissolution while minimizing stripping. By adjusting gas flow rate and pressure through the porous diffuser, the patent achieves high oxygen concentration (40-60 mgO2/l) without the harmful stripping effects of high-velocity air injection.
2Speed
If compressors are used to inject gas in Air-Sparging, then gas flow is achieved, but electric power and on site installation space are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical compressor system with a chemical pressure generation system. Chemical reactions (such as decompression of compressed gas cylinders or chemical pressure vessels) generate the necessary pressure to inject gas through the porous diffuser, eliminating the need for electric compressors and associated infrastructure.
3Quantity of substance
If membrane systems are used for oxygen diffusion, then gas dissolution efficiency is improved, but biofouling occurs and membrane blinding is caused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable porous diffuser elements that are inexpensive and can be easily replaced. These single-use or limited-life porous components provide efficient gas dissolution during their service period and are then discarded, avoiding the long-term reliability issues of permanent membranes that suffer from biofouling and blinding.
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
This system significantly reduces remediation times, minimizes site impact, avoids biofouling, and achieves high oxygen dissolution efficiency, resulting in cost-effective and efficient groundwater decontamination with low operational and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The diffusion equipment has a great importance on the gas dissolution efficiency. In particular, the more gas-liquid exchange surface increases, the more efficient the oxygen dissolution in groundwater.
Implementation Method 2
Groundwater decontamination system through in situ injection of oxidant and/or riducent gases
Implementation Method 3
Groundwater decontamination system through in situ injection of oxidant and/or riducent gases
Data Source
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AI summary
A microdiffusion system of oxidising and/or reducing gases in groundwater for contaminated sites reclamation is disclosed. The system does not involve the use of electric power and so it can be applied also in those sites where particular safety precautions are required or where no electric power is available. The application of the system involves an in situ configuration. It is based on a gas diffusion process in groundwater characterised by very high efficiency and significant low flows. Gas is fed as micro bubbles that, through their continuous diffusion in the injection point, allow to reach high dissolved gas concentration in groundwater. In this way the system is able to quickly activate biological and/or chemical degradation process in the aquifer, and thanks to high concentration gradient thus created, it has significant influence radius. The system allows to purify the saturated fraction of ground from contaminated substances by reducing and/or oxidising processes. It has a lot of advantages compared to traditional systems, for example: very low site impact, high use flexibility, absence of stripping of volatile substances, absence of biofouling on gas diffusion surface, no waste production.