CRYOSWEEP is an in-situ soil remediation technology which removes all known types of impurities, including radioactive, ionic, or organic solutes. Based on a thermomolecular effect associated with the melting of a solid at an interface, CRYOSWEEP is designed to control the movement of contaminants in ground water to the extent of separating, steering, and concentrating them in a zone of safe collection.
Freeze pipes are installed in an array configured to match the waste geometry and most effective clean-up scenario, in either rows or concentric circles. As a freeze front develops along a pipe row, or circle, contamination is forced ahead of the front and is then picked up and swept along by the next circle of pipes. The contaminants are separated and forced into a collection zone in the center of this circular installation where they can be extracted for treatment or removed from the melt water. Installations using the pipe row configuration force contaminants towards one end of the rectangular installation.
A Thermodynamic Modeling program incorporates all site characteristics into a three dimensional model, which is used to design installations to ISO 14000 standards, and estimate site remediation costs. After installation, this program's model data is compared with on-site monitoring systems data, such as electromagnetic imaging and ground penetrating radar, to develop a real-time computer image of remediation progress throughout a CRYOSWEEP installation's remediation life-cycle. Thermal control of the installation is regulated via this same system.
This steering and concentration process can be used to enhance other remediation and capture technologies. CRYOSWEEP can effectively guide and concentrate contaminates within the optimum zone of influence for various contaminate specific remediation processes.
Tested and verified, ready for full scale implementation.
Continual Bench-Scale Testing of CRYOSWEEP technology at the University of Washington's Low Temperature Physics Laboratory. CRYOSWEEP designs have been submitted and are currently under review as cost effective solutions to many remediation scenarios.
CRYOSWEEP can operate on all types of impurities in aqueous solutions; radioactive, ionic, or organic, with no theoretical lower limit to clean-up level. This translates to remediation efficiency. By containing the subject site as the first step, chemicals and additives can be added to dissolve contaminates bonded to site soils. CRYOSWEEP can then effectively remove site contaminates. When compared to pump-and-treat methods which may fail to separate a hazardous substance bound to sediment even after 60-80 flushes, inefficiency comes to mind. Inefficiency translates to increased remediation cost an unsatisfactory results.
CRYOSWEEP technology is site specific, and can be engineered to remove hazardous substances from under buildings or structures without removal or damage. CRYOSWEEP can be scaled for small, intermediate, and large hazardous substance removal projects.
New Remediation Process
Relative to a business arrangement and licensing agreement with the University of Washington, Greg Dash, Director of the Low Temperature Physics Department and an RKK investor, has reported exciting progress about the efficiency of a new soil washing and freezing technique which will be applicable for the remediation market. There is a Record of Invention on file in the Office of Technology Transfer at the University covering this new process which was discovered and developed during the CRYOSWEEP research. A portion of new capital raised will be directed to the University to provide funds for further development and for patent application.