IP Library Granted Patent US 9,925,574
Granted Patent B2
US 9,925,574 · App. 15/086,532 · Granted Mar 27, 2018

Modular oxidant delivery system

Inventors: Mark Christenson (Lincoln, NE); Steven Douglas Comfort (Lincoln, NE)
Assignee: NUtech Ventures
B09C1/002B09C1/08C02F1/72C02F2103/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,925,574
App. No.
15/086,532
Granted
Mar 27, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one implementation, a direct-push oxidant candle apparatus for the treatment of contaminated groundwater through direct-push installation methods includes: a drive tip positioned at a bottom end of the apparatus, the drive tip having one or more front surfaces that are shaped to create a bore as force is applied to an opposite base surface of the drive tip; a structural pathway that is connected to and extend upwardly from the base surface of the drive tip; one or more oxidant delivery devices that are enclosed within the structural pathway; and one or more fluid supply lines that extend from one or more locations outside of the bore and that terminate at or near a bottom end of the structural pathway so that fluid supplied through the fluid supply lines travels through the structural pathway and along the one or more oxidant delivery devices.

Claims (37)

1. A direct-push oxidant candle apparatus for the treatment of contaminated groundwater through direct-push installation methods, the apparatus comprising:

a drive tip positioned at a bottom end of the apparatus, the drive tip having one or more front surfaces that are shaped to create a bore as force is applied to an opposite base surface of the drive tip;

a structural pathway that is connected to and extends upwardly from the base surface of the drive tip;

one or more oxidant delivery devices that are enclosed within the structural pathway; and

one or more fluid supply lines that extend from one or more locations outside of the bore and that terminate at or near a bottom end of the structural pathway so that fluid supplied through the fluid supply lines travels through the structural pathway and along the one or more oxidant delivery devices.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bracket with a front end that abuts, at least a portion of, the base surface of the drive tip and one or more arms that generally extend opposite a direction of the force that is being applied to the drive tip, the one or more arms of the bracket each defining a plurality of apertures,

wherein the one or more fluid supply lines are each threaded through the apertures of one of the one or more arms of the bracket.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:

one or more shield components that extend around at least a portion of the one or more arms of the bracket so as to protect the fluid supply lines threaded through the one or more arms.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the one or more shield components emanate from between the base surface of the drive tip and the front end of the bracket, and terminate with a portion that flares laterally outward so as to form an anchor that prevents the drive tip from being retracted.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the arms of the bracket and the one or more fluid supply lines extend outside of a drive-rod that encloses the structural pathway.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fluid supply lines are enclosed within the structural path.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one or more oxidant delivery devices each define one or more apertures through which the one or more fluid supply lines extend.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one or more fluid supply lines and the structural pathway are enclosed within a drive-rod that applies the force to the base surface of the drive tip.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:

one or more anchor components that emanate from the base surface of the drive tip and terminate with a portion that flares laterally outward so as to form an anchor that prevents the drive tip from being retracted.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more oxidant delivery devices comprise one or more oxidant candles.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more oxidant candles comprise one or more permanganate candles.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more oxidant candles comprise one or more persulfate candles.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the structural pathway comprises a conduit.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the conduit defines holes along one or more sides of the conduit that expose, at least a portion of, the one or more oxidant delivery devices to media surrounding the conduit.

15. A system for the treatment of contaminated groundwater at a site, the system comprising:

an elongated air chamber that is positioned below ground at the site, the elongated air chamber extending from a first depth to a second depth below the ground;

a structural pathway that is positioned in the elongated air chamber;

one or more oxidant delivery devices that are enclosed within the structural pathway, the one or more oxidant delivery devices extending from the first depth to a third depth that is between the first depth and the second depth;

one or more fluid supply lines that extend from one or more locations outside of the elongated air chamber and that terminate at or near a bottom end of the structural pathway so that fluid supplied through the fluid supply lines travels through the elongated air chamber and along the one or more oxidant delivery devices;

a first type of fill material surrounding a bottom potion of the elongated air chamber, the first type of fill material being porous so as to permit the groundwater to interact with the one or more oxidant delivery devices; and

a second type of fill material surrounding a top portion of the elongated air chamber, the second type of fill material being non-porous so as to create a seal around the top of the elongated air chamber.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

one or more exhaust lines that extend from a top of the structural pathway to one or more positions outside of the elongated air chamber, the one or more exhaust lines venting the fluid introduced into the structural pathway.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

a removal mechanism affixed to the top of the structural pathway that is configured to permit removal of the structural pathway with the one or more oxidant delivery devices from within the elongated air chamber.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the elongated air chamber and the structural pathway each include perforations along their sidewalls so as to permit the groundwater to interact with the one or more oxidant delivery devices.

19. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a locator device that is embedded within and extends above the second type of fill material, the locator device providing identification for the elongated air chamber at the site.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the bottom portion of the elongated air chamber extends above the third depth so that the one or more oxidant delivery devices are surrounded by only the first type of fill material.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2016
From: BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
To: NUTECH VENTURES
Reel/Frame 039623/0348 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jun 24, 2016
From: UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), U.S. GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 039153/0685 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2016
From: CHRISTENSON, MARK; COMFORT, STEVEN DOUGLAS
To: BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
Reel/Frame 038455/0533 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62140645 · Mar 31, 2015
Related Publication 20160288178A1 · Oct 6, 2016