Subsurface Soil Purification via Warmed Cleaning Liquid Injection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current subsurface soil purification methods are inefficient due to contaminants being fixed to soil particles, leading to slow decomposition and impairment of microorganisms at high contaminant concentrations.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the injection of a warmed cleaning liquid to separate contaminants from soil particles, followed by the injection of warmed activator or purification liquids to stimulate microorganisms, enhancing contaminant separation and decomposition efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bio-purification methods are used to decompose contaminants by microorganisms, then contaminants can be degraded, but the decomposing action is impaired by toxicity of contaminants at high concentrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecomposing action of microorganismsVSAvoidtoxicity of contaminants
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by first injecting a cleaning liquid to separate and remove contaminants from soil particles before introducing microorganisms. This preliminary contaminant removal reduces toxicity levels, creating a favorable environment for subsequent microbial decomposition to proceed effectively without being impaired by high contaminant concentrations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Stability of the object's composition

If contaminants are fixed to soil particles in subsurface soil, then they remain stable in the soil, but decomposition by microorganisms becomes inefficient and purification is time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of contaminants in soilVSAvoidefficiency of purification
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a cleaning liquid as an intermediary substance that facilitates the separation of contaminants from soil particles. The cleaning liquid acts as a mediator between the contaminants and the purification process, enabling effective contaminant removal without directly decomposing the contaminants themselves, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and purification efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If groundwater is injected into subsurface soil to purify contaminants, then contaminants can be eluted, but the process is time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontaminant elutionVSAvoidpurification time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the temperature of the cleaning liquid to a higher level than ambient groundwater temperature. This temperature parameter change enhances the effectiveness of the cleaning liquid in separating contaminants from soil particles, accelerating the elution process and reducing the overall purification time while maintaining effective contaminant removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach improves the efficiency of subsurface soil purification by effectively separating and decomposing contaminants, reducing purification time and overcoming toxicity-related microorganism impairment issues.

Implementation Method 1

injecting a cleaning liquid, that separates a contaminant in subsurface soil from the subsurface soil

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

separates a contaminant in subsurface soil from the subsurface soil and that has been warmed to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExtraction: Liquid-Liquid Extraction

Implementation Method 3

warmed to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature enables separation of the contaminant from the subsurface soil to be promoted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal energy: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3505263B1Method for subsurface soil purification
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 TAKENAKA CORP
  • EP3505263B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3505263B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A subsurface soil purification method includes a first process of injecting a cleaning liquid, that separates a contaminant in subsurface soil from the subsurface soil and that has been warmed to a higher temperature than a groundwater temperature, into an injection well provided in the ground, and a second process of pumping up groundwater containing the cleaning liquid, in which the contaminant separated from the subsurface soil has been dissolved, from a pumping well that is provided in the ground so as to be spaced apart from the injection well.