sand and gravel fill material blended with an aggregate and clay mineral composite particle for construction of low permeability, high bearing capacity containment systems for the long term management of industrial, energy, and mining process waste materials and water control structures
2.
Spalling composite particles and methods of using them
Composite particles contain a natural stone or aggregate core and a coating of two or more sorbent layers collectively containing at least two distinct kinds of sorbent materials effective for sorbing two distinct contaminants. One or both sorbent layers may be mixed with a water-absorbent, swellable clay that, upon contact with water, causes spalling or disintegration of the coating layer to release the sorptive material into a body of water such as a pond, ditch, stream, or riverbed. Additional swellable or protective layers may also be present. The composite particles are deployed into a pond, ditch, river, or streambed where the core of natural stone remains in the riverbed. The sorptive materials of the two different sorbent layers sorb and fix a wide range of contaminants, including both the heavy and light-weight hydrocarbons, from the water, and settle as a fine sediment. The sediment with sorbed contaminants is then removed by means such as hydraulic collectors or dredging.
B01J 20/22 - Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising organic material
B01J 20/12 - Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
B01J 20/20 - Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material comprising free carbonSolid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
B01J 20/28 - Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof characterised by their form or physical properties
E02D 3/12 - Consolidating by placing solidifying or pore-filling substances in the soil
E02D 31/00 - Protective arrangements for foundations or foundation structuresGround foundation measures for protecting the soil or the subsoil water, e.g. preventing or counteracting oil pollution
B32B 9/00 - Layered products essentially comprising a particular substance not covered by groups
C04B 20/00 - Use of materials as fillers for mortars, concrete or artificial stone according to more than one of groups and characterised by shape or grain distributionTreatment of materials according to more than one of the groups specially adapted to enhance their filling properties in mortars, concrete or artificial stoneExpanding or defibrillating materials
C04B 28/00 - Compositions of mortars, concrete or artificial stone, containing inorganic binders or the reaction product of an inorganic and an organic binder, e.g. polycarboxylate cements
C04B 111/00 - Function, property or use of the mortars, concrete or artificial stone
01 - Chemical and biological materials for industrial, scientific and agricultural use
Goods & Services
materials that absorb petroleum products in a body of water, namely, chemicals for absorbing petroleum oil, petroleum-containing compounds, petroleum-containing compositions, and petroleum-containing materials
5.
Use of composite particles for protecting a lifeline structure against seismic wave damage
Composite particles of a hard core coated by a layer of hydratable, swellable clay such as bentonite are useful for constructing, modifying and/or supporting lifeline structure such as dams, berms and levees, and/or pipelines or conduits for oil, gas, sewage, water, or cables or wires for transmission of electrical power or data information. The method involves placing the composite particles in a location within, below, or about the lifeline structure, and hydrating them to cause them to swell and fill and seal the voids around the structure to form a resilient support having a high damping ratio and low hydraulic conductivity that is maintained after exposure to strain forces. The composite particles are advantageous in damping seismic waves and reducing the potential damage from an earthquake, explosion, tremor, fatigue loading, or similar seismic event.
Composite particles contain a natural stone or aggregate core and a coating of two or more sorbent layers collectively containing at least two distinct kinds of sorbent materials effective for sorbing two distinct contaminants. One or both sorbent layers may be mixed with a water-absorbent, swellable clay that, upon contact with water, causes spalling or disintegration of the coating layer to release the sorptive material into a body of water such as a pond, ditch, stream, or riverbed. Additional swellable or protective layers may also be present. The composite particles are deployed into a pond, ditch, river, or streambed where the core of natural stone remains in the riverbed. The sorptive materials of the two different sorbent layers sorb and fix a wide range of contaminants, including both the heavy and light-weight hydrocarbons, from the water, and settle as a fine sediment. The sediment with sorbed contaminants is then removed by means such as hydraulic collectors or dredging.
B01J 20/12 - Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
B01J 20/10 - Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material comprising silica or silicate
B01J 20/20 - Solid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material comprising free carbonSolid sorbent compositions or filter aid compositionsSorbents for chromatographyProcesses for preparing, regenerating or reactivating thereof comprising inorganic material comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
B09C 1/08 - Reclamation of contaminated soil chemically
E02D 31/00 - Protective arrangements for foundations or foundation structuresGround foundation measures for protecting the soil or the subsoil water, e.g. preventing or counteracting oil pollution
7.
USE OF COMPOSITE PARTICLES FOR PROTECTING A LIFELINE STRUCTURE AGAINST SEISMIC WAVE DAMAGE
Composite particles of a hard core coated by a layer of hydratable, swellable clay such as bentonite are useful for constructing, modifying and/or supporting lifeline structure such as dams, berms and levees, and/or pipelines or conduits for oil, gas, sewage, water, or cables or wires for transmission of electrical power or data information. The method involves placing the composite particles in a location within, below, or about the lifeline structure, and hydrating them to cause them to swell and fill and seal the voids around the structure to form a resilient support having a high damping ratio and low hydraulic conductivity that is maintained after exposure to strain forces. The composite particles are advantageous in damping seismic waves and reducing the potential damage from an earthquake, explosion, tremor, fatigue loading, or similar seismic event.
Composite particles of a hard core coated by a layer of hydratable, swellable clay such as bentonite are useful for constructing, modifying and/or supporting lifeline structure such as dams, berms and levees, and/or pipelines or conduits for oil, gas, sewage, water, or cables or wires for transmission of electrical power or data information. The method involves placing the composite particles in a location within, below, or about the lifeline structure, and hydrating them to cause them to swell and fill and seal the voids around the structure to form a resilient support having a high damping ratio and low hydraulic conductivity that is maintained after exposure to strain forces. The composite particles are advantageous in damping seismic waves and reducing the potential damage from an earthquake, explosion, tremor, fatigue loading, or similar seismic event.
The invention relates to a low-permeability geotechnical barrier material including a blend of approximately equal parts of: aggregate particles, sand-size particles and manufactured composite particles that include a hydratable sealant material composed of naturally-occurring clay minerals and/or polymer-enhanced clay minerals, such that the actual percentage of clay mineral component is less than 10% by weight in the blended material. In a particular embodiment, the construction of a low-permeability geotechnical barrier using predominantly coarse grain materials by conventional compaction efforts is rarely attempted due to the difficulty of maintaining a uniform mix of well-graded sand and aggregate blends necessary to achieve low permeability. The regularly achievable permeability offered by this material blend when installed with specific proscribed techniques using conventional equipment can be 5 x 10-8 cm/sec or lower.
The invention relates to a low-permeability geotechnical barrier material including a blend of approximately equal parts of: aggregate particles, sand-size particles and manufactured composite particles that include a hydratable sealant material composed of naturally-occurring clay minerals and/or polymer-enhanced clay minerals, such that the actual percentage of clay mineral component is less than 10% by weight in the blended material. In a particular embodiment, the construction of a low-permeability geotechnical barrier using predominantly coarse grain materials by conventional compaction efforts is rarely attempted due to the difficulty of maintaining a uniform mix of well-graded sand and aggregate blends necessary to achieve low permeability. The regularly achievable permeability offered by this material blend when installed with specific proscribed techniques using conventional equipment can be 5 x 10-8 cm/sec or lower.
Contaminated sediment is re-mediated using a self-regenerating reactive sedimentation capping system comprising a system of composite particles having a core and a coating. The coating of at least some particles further include a complexing or sorptive reactive material, such as activated carbon, appatite, a clay or organoclay, or a synthetic sorptive such as Sorbster™. The same or different particles contain a composition of dormant microbes capable of utilizing various contaminants as a food source. The same or other particles may also contain nutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, cofactors, buffers or other adjunctive compounds to sustain the microbes. The microbes feed on and degrade the contaminant compounds complexed, absorbed or adsorbed by the reactive material, thereby regenerating the reactive material for re-use.
Composite particles are used in combination with ore particles in an ore- refining or purification process, such as in a steel- or iron-making process. The composite particles comprise a core, which may be an aggregate of limestone, dolomite, or another ore particle. The core is surrounded by a coating layer of a metal dust and a binder. The metal dust may be iron oxide dust, which, along with limestone, is prevalent in the iron smelting process anyway. In this way, the composite particles help to recycle otherwise wasted and hazardous iron dust. The binder may be mineral clay such as bentonite, montmorillonite or kaolinite, and may comprise about 2-10% by weight of the particle.
Contaminated sediment is remediated using a self-regenerating reactive sedimentation capping system comprising a system of composite particles having a core and a coating. The coating of at least some particles further include a complexing or sorptive reactive material, such as activated carbon, appatite, a clay or organoclay, or a synthetic sorptive such as Sorbster. The same or different particles contain a composition of dormant microbes capable of utilizing various contaminants as a food source. The same or other particles may also contain nutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, cofactors, buffers or other adjunctive compounds to sustain the microbes. The microbes feed on and degrade the contaminant compounds complexed, absorbed or adsorbed by the reactive material, thereby regenerating the reactive material for re- use.
Contaminated sediment is remediated using a self-regenerating reactive sedimentation capping system comprising a system of composite particles having a core and a coating. The coating of at least some particles further include a complexing or sorptive reactive material, such as activated carbon, appatite, a clay or organoclay, or a synthetic sorptive such as Sorbster™. The same or different particles contain a composition of dormant microbes capable of utilizing various contaminants as a food source. The same or other particles may also contain nutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, cofactors, buffers or other adjunctive compounds to sustain the microbes. The microbes feed on and degrade the contaminant compounds complexed, absorbed or adsorbed by the reactive material, thereby regenerating the reactive material for re- use.
Contaminated sediment is remediated using a sedimentation capping system comprising composite particles having a core and a coating containing a statin composition. The statins are useful for inhibiting the growth of methanogens, known anaerobes that produce methane from organic materials found in sediments. The reduction in methane production avoids several problems in capping systems, including reduced ebullition that may breach the barrier cap, reduced mobilization and bioavailability of methylated toxins to aquatic life above the cap.
Contaminated sediment is remediated using a sedimentation capping system comprising composite particles having a core and a coating containing a statin composition. The statins are useful for inhibiting the growth of methanogens, known anaerobes that produce methane from organic materials found in sediments. The reduction in methane production avoids several problems in capping systems, including reduced ebullition that may breach the barrier cap, reduced mobilization and bioavailability of methylated toxins to aquatic life above the cap.
Reactive treatment cells (RTCs) are described in combination with sediment capping systems as a means for environmental remediation. RTCs include an impermeable housing defining an interior, a permeable ceiling and floor typically including filtration materials such as geotextiles, and at least one interior compartment for treatment reagents. One RTC includes a gabion-like cage structure retaining a geomembrane-supported geosynthetic clay liner (GM-GCL) housing, while a second embodiment includes a hard, cylindrical shell as a replaceable reagent cartridge. RTCs may be employed in initial capping system installations or retrofitted into existing capping systems. RTCs may include optional baffles, flow restrictors, floating discs, sensor probes, and two or more serial reagent zones or compartments.
Reactive treatment cells (RTCs) are described in combination with sediment capping systems as a means for environmental remediation. RTCs include an impermeable housing defining an interior, a permeable ceiling and floor typically including filtration materials such as geotextiles, and at least one interior compartment for treatment reagents. One RTC includes a gabion-like cage structure retaining a geomembrane- supported geosynthetic clay liner (GM-GCL) housing, while a second embodiment includes a hard, cylindrical shell as a replaceable reagent cartridge. RTCs may be employed in initial capping system installations or retrofitted into existing capping systems. RTCs may include optional baffles, flow restrictors, floating discs, sensor probes, and two or more serial reagent zones or compartments.
E02D 31/00 - Protective arrangements for foundations or foundation structuresGround foundation measures for protecting the soil or the subsoil water, e.g. preventing or counteracting oil pollution
Fiber-containing composite particles and fiber-reinforced barrier matrix compositions made from them are disclosed. The composite particles include a core, a hydratable clay mineral layer, an optional protective coating, and a reinforcing fiber. The fiber may be present in any or all of several locations: adhered to the core, dispersed in the hydratable layer or in the protective coating. Upon hydration, the hydratable clay mineral layer swells and forms a matrix that cohesively holds the fibers and the core in a fiber-reinforced barrier matrix composition.
Fiber-containing composite particles and fiber-reinforced barrier matrix compositions made from them are disclosed. The composite particles include a core, a hydratable clay mineral layer, an optional protective coating, and a reinforcing fiber. The fiber may be present in any or all of several locations: adhered to the core, dispersed in the hydratable layer or in the protective coating. Upon hydration, the hydratable clay mineral layer swells and forms a matrix that cohesively holds the fibers and the core in a fiber-reinforced barrier matrix composition.
composite-aggregate material comprised of an aggregate core to act as a delivery medium for viable aquatic/hydrophytic plant seed, namely, agricultural, horticultural and/or native plant seed, in combination with clay, or a similar material, to hold said plant seed to said core, and polymers used to promote at least temporary adhesion of the clay or similar material to the core, all sold as a unit
