Tyler J. Gilmore

Development of an Electronic Seepage Chamber for Extended Use in a River

Seepage chambers have been used to characterize the flux of water across the water-sediment interface in a variety of settings. In this work, an electronic seepage chamber was developed specifically for long-term use in a large river where hydraulic gradient reversals occur frequently with river-stage variations. A bidirectional electronic flowmeter coupled with a seepage chamber was used to measure temporal changes in the magnitude and direction of water flux across the water-sediment interface over an 8-week period. The specific discharge measured from the seepage chamber compared favorably with measurements of vertical hydraulic gradient and previous specific discharge calculations. This, as well as other supporting data, demonstrates the effectiveness of the electronic seepage chamber to accurately quantify water flux in two directions over a multimonth period in this setting. The ability to conduct multimonth measurements of water flux at a subhourly frequency in a river system is a critical capability for a seepage chamber in a system where hydraulic gradients change on a daily and seasonal basis.

Feasibility of In Situ Redox Manipulation of Subsurface Sediments for RDX Remediation at Pantex

This laboratory study was conducted to assess RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5 triazine) abiotic degradation by chemically reduced sediments and other geochemical aspects of the application of this technology to remediation of RDX contamination in groundwater at the U.S. DOE Pantex facility...

A physically based model for air-lift pumping

A predictive, physically based model for pumping water from a well using air injection (air-lift pumping) was developed for the range of flow rates that we explored in a series of laboratory experiments. The goal was to determine the air flow rate required to pump a specific flow rate of water in a given well, designed for in-well air stripping of volatile organic compounds from an aquifer. The model was validated against original laboratory data as well as data from the literature. A laboratory air-lift system was constructed that consisted of a 70-foot-long (21-m-long) pipe, 5.5 inches (14 cm) inside diameter, in which an air line of 1.3 inches (3.3 cm) outside diameter was placed with its bottom at different elevations above the base of the long pipe. Experiments were conducted for different levels of submergence, with water-pumping rates ranging from 5 to 70 gallons/min (0.32-4.4 L/s), and air flow ranging from 7 to 38 standard cubic feet/min (0.2-1.1 m 3 STP/min). The theoretical approach adopted in the model was based on an analysis of the system as a one-dimensional two-phase flow problem. The expression for the pressure gradient includes inertial energy terms, friction, and gas expansion versus elevation. Data analysis revealed that application of the usual drift-flux model to estimate the air void fraction is not adequate for the observed flow patterns: either slug or churn flow. We propose a modified drift-flux model that accurately predicts air-lift pumping requirements for a range of conditions representative of in-well air-stripping operations. inches (25.4 cm) and is 75 feet (22.9 m) long. The inner well is a 70-foot-long (21.3-m-long) pipe with a 5.5-inch (14.0-cm) inside diameter and a 6-inch (15.2-cm) outside diameter which contains a 1.3-inch (3.3-cm) injection air line that can be moved to different heights above the base of the inner well. The water level is adjusted and held constant in the annular space between the inner and outer wells. This maintains a constant submergence or back pressure in the inner well, while water is lifted and discharged at the top at atmospheric pres- sure. Lift is generated by injecting air at specified flow rates through the air injection line. The range of water flow rates is from 5 to 70 gallons/min (0.32-4.4 L/s), with air injection rates of 7 to 38 standard cubic feet/min (0.2-1.1 m 3 STP/min). Sub- mergence ratios, defined as the ratio of submergence of the air line to the total length, were varied from 33 to 70%, which

Investigation of the Strontium-90 Contaminant Plume along the Shoreline of the Columbia River at the 100-N Area of the Hanford Site

Efforts are underway to remediate strontium-laden groundwater to the Columbia River at the 100-N Area of the Hanford Site. Past practices of the 100-N reactor liquid waste disposal sites has left strontium-90 sorbed onto sediments which is a continuing source of contaminant discharge to the river. The Remediation Task of the Science and Technology Project assessed the interaction of groundwater and river water at the hyporheic zone. Limited data have been obtained at this interface of contaminant concentrations, geology, groundwater chemistry, affects of river stage and other variables that may affect strontium-90 release. Efforts were also undertaken to determine the extent, both laterally and horizontally, of the strontium-90 plume along the shoreline and to potentially find an alternative constituent to monitor strontium-90 that would be more cost effective and could possibly be done under real time conditions. A baseline of strontium-90 concentrations along the shoreline was developed to help assess remediation technologies.

Monitored natural attenuation and enhanced attenuation for chlorinated solvent plumes - It's all about balance

Natures inherent ability to cleanse itself is at the heart of Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA). The complexity comes when one attempts to measure and calculate this inherent ability, called the Natural Attenuation Capacity (NAC), and determine if it is sufficient to cleanse the system to agreed upon criteria. An approach that is simple in concept for determining whether the NAC is sufficient for MNA to work is the concept of a mass balance. Mass balance is a robust framework upon which all decisions can be made. The inflows to and outflows from the system are balanced against the NAC of the subsurface system. For MNA to be acceptable, the NAC is balanced against the contaminant loading to the subsurface system with the resulting outflow from the system being in a range that is acceptable to the regulating and decision-making parties. When the system is such that the resulting outflow is not within an acceptable range, the idea of taking actions that are sustainable and that will bring the system within the acceptable range of outflows is evaluated. These sustainable enhancements are being developed under the Enhanced Attenuation (EA) concept.