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A method of controlling subterranean flow of contaminants draining from a zone of contaminant concentration, includes (a) determining the locus of flow of contaminants in a porous underground formation, and (b) injecting into the formation a substance that creates a barrier in the formation to said

A method of controlling subterranean flow of contaminants draining from a zone of contaminant concentration, includes (a) determining the locus of flow of contaminants in a porous underground formation, and (b) injecting into the formation a substance that creates a barrier in the formation to said flow, to thereby block said flow.

대표청구항 ▼

The method of controlling subterranean flow of contaminants draining from a zone of contaminant concentration, that includes (a) determining the locus of flow of contaminants in a porous underground formation, (b) drilling boreholes in the underground formation at selected locations about said zone

The method of controlling subterranean flow of contaminants draining from a zone of contaminant concentration, that includes (a) determining the locus of flow of contaminants in a porous underground formation, (b) drilling boreholes in the underground formation at selected locations about said zone of contaminant concentration, (c) setting casing in the boreholes and cementing the casing in place, (d) then forming through openings sidewardly through the casings at selected elevations in the boreholes, and in relation to said locus of contaminant flow, (e) injecting into the formation via said through openings a substance that creates a barrier in the formation to said flow, to thereby establish a controlled height barrier to block said flow, (f) said (a) step including drilling at least one test hole in the formation to a region or regions toward which contaminant flow is suspected, and testing the composition of the formation via said test hole or holes, (g) said (b) and (c) steps including locating said boreholes containing said casing further from said zone than said test hole and drilling the boreholes deeper than contmination in the test hole. Apparatus for controlling sub-terranean flow of contaminants draining or seeping into the earth from a zone of contaminant concentration, comprising (a) first means for determining the locus of flow of contaminants in a porous underground formation, and (b) second means for injecting into the formation a substance that creates a barrier in the formation to said flow, to thereby block said flow, (c) said second means including multiple boreholes in the formation, and spaced about said zone at selected locations, casings set in said boreholes, multiple through openings extending sidewardly through walls defined by the casings and at selected elevations in the boreholes, said elevations being laterally of elevations of the contaminant flow, (d) and said second means also including a source of said substance in mud form, and pump means pumping said substance into said casings in the boreholes, under pressure, effecting its flow into the formation at elevations determined by the through openings in the casings, establishing a controlled height barrier of said substance, and including said barrier, (e) and including said zone which is defined by a settling pond for contaminated water and which receives inflow of contaminants in water, and means removing settled contaminants from the bottom of the pond at a rate in relation to said inflow that contamination by escape of contaminants via subterranean flow, beyond the barrier, is substantially stabilized.