Environmental remediation system

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for removing and treating contaminated materials on a bottom of a body of water and introducing growth packets to revitalize the treated bottom of the body of water. The structure may comprise a vessel with an open face. The vessel may be lowered down to the bottom of the body of water with the face facing down. As a result, the vessel and the bottom form an isolated space. The structure may comprise at least one agitating device(s) for stirring up the materials inside the vessel so as to form a mixture containing the sediment materials which in turn contain the contaminants. Multiple at least one pipe(s) may be coupled to the vessel for transporting the mixture out of the vessel for processing (filtering, treating with chemicals, etc.) so as to neutralize or eliminate the contaminants in the mixture. Then, the treated mixture can be returned to the inside of the vessel via the at least one pipe(s).

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for transporting contained and suspended materials from an enclosed space in a bottom of a body of water, comprising:
 a polygon shaped vessel including first, second, third, and fourth side plates, a top plate, and an opening;   first, second, third, and fourth curtain plates abutting and having been coupled to the first, second, third, and the fourth side plates, respectively,
 wherein the opening is facing a bottom of a body of water and the vessel is in direct physical contact with the bottom of the body of water, 
 wherein the vessel has been configured to contain and suspend materials inside the vessel; and 
 a first pipe configured to transport the contained and suspended materials from an interior of the vessel to an exterior of the vessel. 
   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second curtain plates are at opposite sides of the rectangular vessel and the third and fourth curtain plates are at opposite sides of the rectangular vessel, and wherein the first and second curtain plates are longer in length than the first and second side plates of the vessel, and the third and fourth curtain plates are the same in length as the third and fourth side plates of the vessel. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 first and second rams;   first and second pistons adapted for sliding inside the first and second rams, respectively; and   first and second single-plane connectors coupling the first and second pistons, respectively, to the first curtain plane, wherein the first and second single-plane connectors enable the first curtain plate to rotate only in a plane parallel to the first side plate of the vessel.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 third and fourth rams;   third and fourth pistons adapted for sliding inside the third and fourth rams, respectively; and   third and fourth single-plane connectors coupling the third and fourth pistons, respectively, to the second curtain plane, wherein the third and fourth single-plane connectors enable the second curtain plate to rotate only in a plane parallel to the second side plate of the vessel.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein each of the first and second rams has been adapted for rotating around a point affixed to the vessel and only in a plane parallel to the first side plate, and wherein each of the third and fourth rams has been adapted for rotating around a point affixed to the vessel and only in a plane parallel to the second side plate. 
     
     
         25 . A method for transporting contained and suspended materials from an enclosed space in a bottom of a body of water, comprising:
 providing a polygon shaped vessel, comprising:
 first, second, third, and fourth side plates, a top plate, and an opening,
 wherein an open face of the vessel faces the bottom of the body of water; 
 
   providing first, second, third, and fourth curtain plates abutting and having been coupled to the first, second, third and the fourth side plates, respectively;
 wherein the vessel has been configured to contain and suspend materials inside the vessel; and 
   providing a first pipe configured to transport the contained and suspended materials from an interior of the vessel to an exterior of the vessel.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first and second curtain plates are at opposite sides of the rectangular vessel and the third and fourth curtain plates are at opposite sides of the rectangular vessel, and wherein the first and second curtain plates are longer in length than the first and second side plates of the vessel, and the third and fourth curtain plates are the same in length as the third and fourth side plates of the vessel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 providing first and second rams coupled to the first side plate;   providing first and second pistons adapted for sliding inside the first and second rams, respectively;   providing first and second single-plane connectors coupling the first and second pistons, respectively, to the first curtain plane; and   rotating the first curtain plate in only a plane parallel to the first side plate of the vessel in response to the first curtain plate being lowered down to the bottom of the body of water.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 providing third and fourth rams coupled to the second side plate;   providing third and fourth pistons adapted for sliding inside the third and fourth rams, respectively;   providing third and fourth single-plane connectors coupling the third and fourth pistons, respectively, to the second curtain plane; and   
       rotating the second curtain plate only in a plane parallel to the second side plate of the vessel in response to the second curtain plate being lowered down to the bottom of the body of water. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 rotating each of the first and second rams around a point affixed to the vessel and in only a plane parallel to the first side plate in response to the first curtain plate being lowered down to the bottom of the body of water, and   rotating each of the third and fourth rams around a point affixed to the vessel and in only a plane parallel to the second side plate in response to the second curtain plate being lowered down to the bottom of the body of water.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the step of positioning the vessel such that a slope direction of the bottom of the body of water is from the third curtain plate to the fourth curtain plate. 
     
     
         31 . A system for transporting contained and suspended materials from an enclosed space in a bottom of a body of water, comprising:
 a rig or a boat;   a polygon shaped vessel operably coupled to the rig or boat, comprising:
 first, second, third, and fourth side plates, a top plate, and an opening; and 
 first, second, third, and fourth curtain plates abutting and having been coupled to the first, second, third, and the fourth side plates, respectively,
 wherein the vessel has been configured to contain and suspend materials inside the vessel; and 
 
 a first pipe configured to transport the contained and suspended materials from an interior of the vessel to an exterior of the vessel. 
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first and second curtain plates are at opposite sides of the rectangular vessel and the third and fourth curtain plates are at opposite sides of the rectangular vessel, and wherein the first and second curtain plates are longer in length than the first and second side plates of the vessel, and the third and fourth curtain plates are the same in length as the third and fourth side plates of the vessel. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , comprising:
 first and second rams; and   first and second pistons adapted for sliding inside the first and second rams, respectively; and   first and second single-plane connectors coupling the first and second pistons, respectively, to the first curtain plane, wherein the first and second single-plane connectors enable the first curtain plate to rotate only in a plane parallel to the first side plate of the vessel.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , comprising:
 third and fourth rams;   third and fourth pistons adapted for sliding inside the third and fourth rams, respectively; and   third and fourth single-plane connectors coupling the third and fourth pistons, respectively, to the second curtain plane, wherein the third and fourth single-plane connectors enable the second curtain plate to rotate only in a plane parallel to the second side plate of the vessel.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein each of the first and second rams has been adapted for rotating around a point affixed to the vessel and only in a plane parallel to the first side plate, and wherein each of the third and fourth rams has been adapted for rotating around a point affixed to the vessel and only in a plane parallel to the second side plate. 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus for transporting contained and suspended materials from an enclosed space in a bottom of a body of water, comprising:
 a polygon shaped vessel including first, second, third, and fourth side plates, a top plate, and an opening,
 wherein the vessel has been configured to contain and suspend materials inside the vessel; 
   first, second, third, and fourth curtain plates abutting and having been coupled to the first, second, third, and the fourth side plates, respectively,
 wherein the vessel has been configured to contain and suspend materials inside the vessel; 
   a first pipe configured to transport the contained and suspended materials from an interior of the vessel to an exterior of the vessel;   first and second rams;   first and second pistons adapted for sliding inside the first and second rams, respectively; and   first and second single-plane connectors coupling first and second pistons, respectively, to the first curtain plane,
 wherein the first and second single-plane connectors enable the first curtain plate to rotate only in a plane parallel to the first side plate of the vessel, and 
 wherein the first, second, third, and the fourth curtain plates are in direct physical contact with the bottom of the body of water. 
   
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the first and second curtain plates are at opposite sides of the rectangular vessel and the third and fourth curtain plates are at opposite sides of the rectangular vessel, and wherein the first and second curtain plates are longer in length than the first and second side plates of the vessel, and the third and fourth curtain plates are the same in length as the third and fourth side plates of the vessel. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 third and fourth rams;   third and fourth pistons adapted for sliding inside the third and fourth rams, respectively; and   third and fourth single-plane connectors coupling the third and fourth pistons, respectively, to the second curtain plane, wherein the third and fourth single-plane connectors enable the second curtain plate to rotate only in a plane parallel to the second side plate of the vessel   
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein each of the first and second rams have been adapted for rotating around a point affixed to the vessel and only in a plane parallel to the first side plate, and wherein each of the third and fourth rams has been adapted for rotating around a point affixed to the vessel and only in a plane parallel to the second side plate.