ESTCP Cost and Performance Report: Multi-Site In Situ Air Sparging
Abstract
Air sparging is a process where air is injected directly into the saturated subsurface to (1) volatilize contaminants from the liquid phase to the vapor phase for treatment and/or removal in the vadose zone, and (2) biodegrade contaminants in the saturated zone via stimulation by the introduction of oxygen. Practitioners have proposed using in situ air sparging to (1) treat contaminant source areas trapped within water-saturated and capillary zones, (2) remediate dissolved contaminant plumes, or (3) provide barriers to prevent dissolved contaminant plume migration. In the mid-1990's, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Airbase and Environmental Technology Division, Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) initiated an air sparging project funded by the Airbase and Environmental Technology Division (AFRL/MLQE), the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), and the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC). This project was conducted by the authors of this document, with input and review from an expert panel comprised of practitioners, program managers, and members of academia to develop a technically defensible and practicable Air Sparging Design Paradigm. The primary performance objective of this study was to implement the Air Sparging Design Paradigm at a number of existing air sparging sites and determine whether the Design Paradigm was effective at evaluating air distribution and whether other design guidelines were valid. The goal of the project was to modify the Air Sparging Design Paradigm as necessary based on results obtained from the 10 field sites. Field testing at these ten sites has resulted in modifications to the Air Sparging Design Paradigm and the final document was generated at the end of this study. The pilot test recommended in the Air Sparging Design Paradigm for the Standard Design Approach prescribes a suite of diagnostic tests to assess air distribution.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA488002
Entities
Organizations
- Environmental Security Technology Certification Program