Dual point adjustable depth air sparging well system

Abstract

An adjustable depth air sparging well system having a fixed depth air injection point and an adjustable depth air injection point for injecting compressed air into saturated or groundwater regions of the soil's subsurface to remove volatile contaminants from the soil's subsurface. A flow-through air sparge packer which is slidably mounted within the well casing of the air sparging well system allows a user to adjust the depth at which the adjustable depth air injection point is set.

1 . An adjustable depth air sparging system for removing volatile contaminants from a saturated zone within the soil subsurface comprising:
 (a) a vertically oriented well casing extending downward into the saturated zone within the soil subsurface, said well casing having a screened portion at a lower end thereof positioned within said saturated zone;   (b) an air supply tube movably disposed within said well casing, said air supply tube having a plurality of openings positioned at a lower end thereof;   (c) air supply means for providing pressurized air to said air supply tube;   (d) a flow-through air sparge packer affixed to the lower end of said air supply tube, said flow-through air sparge packer covering the openings within said air supply tube forming an air tight seal around the lower portion of said air supply tube;   (e) adjustable depth injecting means affixed to the lower end of said air supply tube to receive said pressurized air, said adjustable depth injecting means injecting said pressurized air through the screened portion of said well casing below said air sparge packer into said saturated zone at a plurality of pre-selected depths, forming air channels at each of said pre-selected depths through which said pressurized air flows to remove said volatile contaminants from said saturated zone;   (f) locking means for locking said adjustable depth injecting means in a fixed position at each of said pre-selected depths to prevent vertical movement of said adjustable depth injecting means when said air sparging system is operational; and   (g) fixed depth injecting means located within the screened portion of said well casing above said air sparge packer, said fixed depth injecting means receiving said pressurized air from said air supply means and then injecting said pressurized air through the screened portion of said well casing above said air sparge packer into said saturated zone forming additional air channels through which said pressurized air flows to remove said volatile contaminants from said saturated zone.   
   
   
       2 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 1  wherein a user of said air sparging system selects each of said pre-selected depths at which said adjustable depth injecting means is positioned within said saturation zone prior to activating said air sparging system. 
   
   
       3 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 1  wherein said air supply means comprises an air blower. 
   
   
       4 . The adjustable depth air sparging of  claim 1  wherein said adjustable depth injecting means comprises a check valve and screened pressure regulator through which said pressurized air passes to the screened portion of said well casing. 
   
   
       5 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 1  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer is inflatable, said flow-through air sparge packer when inflated by said pressurized air passing through said plurality of openings holding said adjustable depth injecting means in said fixed position at each of said plurality of pre-selected depths to prevent the vertical movement of said adjustable depth injecting means when said air sparging system is operational. 
   
   
       6 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 5  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer is fabricated from inflatable rubber or elastomeric tubing. 
   
   
       7 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 6  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer includes:
 (a) first and second end caps, said first end cap being located at an upper end of said air sparge packer and said second end cap being located at a lower end of said air sparge packer, said first and second end caps being adapted to secure said air sparge packer to the lower end of said air supply tube, wherein said first and second end caps are fabricated from rubber or an elastomer;   (b) a first stainless steel strapping mounted on said first end cap, said first stainless steel strapping when tightened securing said first end cap to said air supply tube; and   (c) a second stainless steel strapping mounted on said second end cap, said second stainless steel strapping when tightened securing said second end cap to said air supply tube.   
   
   
       8 . An adjustable depth air sparging system for removing volatile contaminants from a saturated zone within the soil subsurface comprising:
 (a) a vertically oriented well casing extending downward into the saturated zone within the soil subsurface, said well casing having a screened portion at a lower end thereof which is positioned within said saturated zone;   (b) an air supply tube movably disposed within said well casing, said air supply tube having a plurality of openings positioned at a lower end thereof;   (c) air supply means for providing pressurized air to said air supply tube;   (d) a flow-through air sparge packer affixed to the lower end of said air supply tube, said flow-through air sparge packer covering the openings within said air supply tube forming an air tight seal around the lower portion of said air supply tube;   (e) adjustable depth injecting means affixed to the lower end of said air supply tube to receive said pressurized air, said adjustable depth injecting means injecting said pressurized air through the screened portion of said well casing below said air sparge packer into said saturated zone at a plurality of pre-selected depths, forming air channels at each of said pre-selected depths through which said pressurized air flows to remove said volatile contaminants from said saturated zone;   (f) locking means for locking said adjustable depth injecting means in a fixed position at each of said pre-selected depths to prevent vertical movement of said adjustable depth injecting means when said air sparging system is operational; and   (g) first and second fixed depth injecting means located within the screened portion of said well casing above said air sparge packer, said first and second fixed depth injecting means receiving said pressurized air from said air supply means and then injecting said pressurized air through the screened portion of said well casing above said air sparge packer into said saturated zone, each of said first and second fixed depth injecting means injecting said pressurized into said saturation zone forming additional air channels through which said pressurized air flows to remove said volatile contaminants from said saturated zone.   
   
   
       9 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 8  wherein a user of said air sparging system select's each of said pre-selected depths at which said adjustable depth injecting means is positioned within said saturation zone prior to activating said air sparging system. 
   
   
       10 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 8  wherein said air supply means comprises an air blower. 
   
   
       11 . The adjustable depth air sparging of  claim 8  wherein said adjustable depth injecting means comprises a check valve and screened pressure regulator through which said pressurized air passes to the screened portion of said well casing. 
   
   
       12 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 8  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer is inflatable, said flow-through air sparge packer when inflated by said pressurized air passing through said plurality of openings holding said adjustable depth injecting means in said fixed position at each of said plurality of pre-selected depths to prevent the vertical movement of said adjustable depth injecting means when said air sparging system is operational. 
   
   
       13 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 12  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer is fabricated from inflatable rubber or elastomeric tubing. 
   
   
       14 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 13  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer includes:
 (a) first and second end caps, said first end cap being located at an upper end of said air sparge packer and said second end cap being located at a lower end of said air sparge packer, said first and second end caps being adapted to secure said air sparge packer to the lower end of said air supply tube, wherein said first and second end caps are fabricated from rubber or an elastomer;   (b) a first stainless steel strapping mounted on said first end cap, said first stainless steel strapping when tightened securing said first end cap to said air supply tube; and   (c) a second stainless steel strapping mounted on said second end cap, said second stainless steel strapping when tightened securing said second end cap to said air supply tube.   
   
   
       15 . An adjustable depth air sparging system for removing volatile contaminants from a saturated zone within the soil subsurface comprising:
 (a) a vertically oriented well casing extending downward into the saturated zone within the soil subsurface, said well casing having a screened portion at a lower end thereof which is positioned within said saturated zone;   (b) an air supply tube movably disposed within said well casing, said air supply tube having a plurality of openings positioned at a lower end thereof;   (c) an air compressor for providing pressurized air to said air supply tube;   (d) a flow-through air sparge packer affixed to the lower end of said air supply tube, said flow-through air sparge packer covering the openings within said air supply tube forming an air tight seal around the lower portion of said air supply tube;   (e) a flexible air supply line having one connected to said air compressor and an opposite end connected to said air supply tube, said flexible air supply line forming a passageway for supplying said compressed air from said compressor to said air supply tube   (e) a check valve and screened pressure regulator affixed to the lower end of said air supply tube to receive said pressurized air, said check valve and screened pressure regulator injecting said pressurized air through the screened portion of said well casing below said air sparge packer into said saturated zone at a plurality of pre-selected depths, forming air channels at each of said pre-selected depths through which said pressurized air flows to remove said volatile contaminants from said saturated zone, wherein a user of said air sparging system selects each of said pre-selected depths at which said check valve and screened pressure regulator is positioned within said saturation zone prior to activating said air sparging system;   (f) a packer locking mechanism located at an upper end of said well casing for locking said check valve and screened pressure regulator in a fixed position at each of said pre-selected depths to prevent vertical movement of said check valve and screened pressure regulator when said air sparging system is operational; and   (g) a fixed depth air injecting device located within the screened portion of said well casing above said air sparge packer, said fixed depth air injecting device being connected to said air compressor to receive said pressurized air from said air compressor and then inject said pressurized air through the screened portion of said well casing above said air sparge packer into said saturated zone, said fixed depth air injecting device injecting said pressurized into said saturation zone forming additional air channels through which said pressurized air flows to remove said volatile contaminants from said saturated zone.   
   
   
       16 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 15  further comprising a second fixed depth air injecting device positioned within the screened portion of said well casing above said air sparge packer, said second fixed depth air injecting device being connected to said air compressor to receive said pressurized air from said air compressor and then inject said pressurized air through the screened portion of said well casing above said air sparge packer into said saturated zone, said second fixed depth air injecting device injecting said pressurized into said saturation zone forming additional air channels through which said pressurized air flows to remove said volatile contaminants from said saturated zone. 
   
   
       17 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 16  wherein said second fixed depth air injecting device comprises an air supply manifold. 
   
   
       18 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 15  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer is inflatable, said flow-through air sparge packer when inflated by said pressurized air passing through said plurality of openings holding said adjustable depth injecting means in said fixed position at each of said plurality of pre-selected depths to prevent the vertical movement of said adjustable depth injecting means when said air sparging system is operational. 
   
   
       19 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 18  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer is fabricated from inflatable rubber or elastomeric tubing. 
   
   
       20 . The adjustable depth air sparging system of  claim 19  wherein said flow-through air sparge packer includes:
 (a) first and second end caps, said first end cap being located at an upper end of said air sparge packer and said second end cap being located at a lower end of said air sparge packer, said first and second end caps being adapted to secure said air sparge packer to the lower end of said air supply tube, wherein said first and second end caps are fabricated from rubber or an elastomer;   (b) a first stainless steel strapping mounted on said first end cap, said first stainless steel strapping when tightened securing said first end cap to said air supply tube; and   (c) a second stainless steel strapping mounted on said second rubber end cap, said second stainless steel strapping when tightened securing said second end cap to said air supply tube.