Automated fluid injection system
This invention describes systems, devices, and methods for injecting environmental remediation amendments into target sites while reducing or eliminating the risk of adverse results.
1 . A system for automated injection of fluids into one or more target areas to remediate groundwater contamination, the system comprising:
an injection system configured to inject fluidic substances using variable levels of at least one of, injection pressure and injection flow, through the use of a plurality of control valves into one or more target areas of an aquifer wherein at least one injection point is positioned above ground at one or more channels to at least one of one or more target areas, and at least one of the plurality of control valves is connected to the at least one injection point on an individual basis and the injection system is configured to couple to the at least one injection point and wherein said injection system is configured to prevent fluid from moving up the one or more channels;
a plurality of sensors coupled to the injection system and at least one above ground injection point wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to collect data regarding at least one parameter related to the one or more target areas of the aquifer;
a control system comprised of
a memory configured to store data wherein the memory is programmed with at least one tolerance criteria related to the at least one parameter; and
a processor communicably coupled to the memory configured to execute a plurality of functions, the functions comprising:
receiving data from the plurality of sensors;
determining whether there is a high likelihood of adverse results the one or more target areas based on a comparison of the data from the plurality of sensors and the tolerance criteria related to the at least one parameter stored in the computer memory and a comparison to changes in data related to the at least one parameter received from the plurality of sensors representing the response of the aquifer to the injection of the fluidic substances over time;
instructing the injection system to adjust its at least one of injection pressure and injection flow-based determinations made from of the data related to the at least one parameter received from the plurality of sensors and the tolerance criteria related to the at least one parameter, and repeating the process of making determinations based on data from the plurality of sensors on a continuous basis.
2 . The system of claim 1 , where the at least one parameter is groundwater elevation in the aquifer.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is communicably linked to an output terminal and is further configured to perform the function of transferring data to an external memory storage medium using the output terminal.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to record data related to the determinations made from of the data related to the at least one parameter and the tolerance criteria related to the at least one parameter on the memory.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to use data related to the determinations made from of the data related to the at least one parameter and the tolerance criteria related to the at least one parameter on the memory from previous determinations in future determinations.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to make determinations based on the data related to the at least one parameter and the tolerance criteria on a continuous basis upon receiving new data from the plurality of sensors, and adjust the at least one of, injection pressure and injection flow, of the injection system and each injection rod according to such determinations.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the number of injection points is at least two and the injection system is configured to couple with all of the injection points, and the injection points are varied spatially in location with the one or more target areas.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to detect only the parameter at the injection points the sensor is coupled to.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the injection system is further configured to vary the at least one of injection pressure and injection flow exerted on each of the number of injection points independently based on parameters detected by the plurality of sensors coupled to each injection point.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to make determinations on whether there is a high likelihood of adverse results in the one or more target areas based on a comparison of the data from the plurality of sensors and the tolerance criteria related to the at least one parameter stored in the computer memory for each of the number of injection points independently, and further to determine if the parameters detected by one or more of the plurality of sensors attached to one injection point may have a likelihood of adverse results at a target area near one or more of the other injection points.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the adverse result is the fracturing of any of the one or more target areas.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the injection system is further configured to increase, decrease, or not change at least one of, injection pressure and injection flow, in response to an instruction from the processor.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the fluid being injected can be comprised of one or more compositions the injection system is further configured to control the composition of the fluid being injected.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluids injected are chosen from at least one of the list comprising: liquids, dissolved solids, and suspended solids.
15 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the memory contains sufficient data for the computer processor to make determinations regarding injection flow and injection pressure to avoid exceeding or falling below the tolerances for the fully duration of a remediation cycle.
16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further comprised of an operator input whereby an operator can input instructions to the computer processor.
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to only measure one or more parameters of the target area and not measure any parameters of the injection system.
18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to not require human input once it is initially activated.
19 . A method of automatically controlling injection of fluids into one or more target sites of a groundwater aquifer without fracturing the one or more target sites or surrounding area, the method comprising:
inserting a plurality of injectors into the one or more target sites through one or more above ground injection sites wherein said injectors are configured to prevent fluid from moving up an injection well;
coupling an injection system configured to modulate at least one of injection pressure or injection flow based on instructions from a computer processors to the plurality of injectors;
communicably coupling a plurality of sensors configured to detect data related to one or more factors that can cause the one or more target sites to fracture to the computer processor and the plurality of injectors wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to monitor data from the one or more target sites of the groundwater aquifer including, without limitation, the groundwater elevation;
comparing data from the one or more sensors to data on conditions that can cause the one or more target sites to fracture to determine if there is a likelihood that the pressure from the plurality of injectors will cause the one or more target sites to fracture;
adjusting at least one of injection pressure and injection flow from the plurality of injectors on a consistent basis based on the determination of likelihood of fracturing using a plurality of valves wherein at least one of the valves controls either injection pressure or injection flow for only one of the plurality of injectors and there is a corresponding but independent valve for each other of the plurality of injectors; and
repeating the steps of comparing data from the one or more sensors to data on conditions that can cause the one or more target sites to fracture and adjusting the pressure from the one or more injectors until the injection process has concluded.
20 . A system for automated injection of fluids into one or more target areas for groundwater remediation, the system comprising:
an injection system configured to inject fluidic substances into one or more target areas of an aquifer wherein a plurality of injection points are positioned above ground at an equal number of channels to at least one of the one or more target areas and the injection system is configured to couple to the plurality of injection points wherein said injection system is configured to prevent fluid from moving up an injection well;
one or more sensors coupled to each of the plurality of injection points and the injection system wherein each of the one or more sensors is configured to collect data regarding at least one parameter;
a control system comprised of
a memory configured to store data wherein the memory is programmed with at least tolerance criteria related to the at least one parameter; and
a processor communicably coupled to the memory configured to execute a plurality of functions, the functions comprising:
receiving data from the one or more sensors;
record data received from the one or more sensors to the memory;
transferring data to an external memory storage medium using the output terminal;
comparing the data from the one or more sensors to changes in data related to the at least one parameter received from the one or more sensors representing the response of the aquifer to the injection of the fluidic substances over time; and
reducing the injection flow into the plurality of injection points on an individual basis based on the data from the one or more sensors to prevent fracture of any portion of the one or more target areas and repeating the process of making determinations based on data from the plurality of sensors on a continuous basis.