Information Last Revised: 12/01/92
TTP Reference Number: OR-1211-04
1. Technical Name of Technology: Colloidal Borescope
2. Common Name of Technology: Colloidal Borescope
3. PI and Telephone No: Peter M. Kearl (303) 248-6211
4. Affiliation: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
5. Technology Category: Characterization and Monitoring
6. Developers: VOCs in Non-Arid Soils - Westinghouse Savannah River Co.
7. Application
7.1. Where (in-situ/ex-situ): in-situ
7.2. Media: groundwater
7.3. Targeted Contaminants: The borescope is used as in-situ instrumentation capable of directly observing colloidal size particles and subsequent ground water flow direction and rate.
8. Scope of project (feasibility study, treatability, bench, pilot, field):
Development
9. Integrated Demonstration (ID) Need/Requirements:
The borescope is used as in-situ instrumentation capable of directly observing colloidal size particles and subsequent ground water flow direction and rate. Current applications include: site characterization by determining preferential flow paths and fractures; assessing heterogeneities associated with porous media; establishing the existence of immiscible contaminant layers and their associated flow properties; assessing the efficiency of groundwater remediation programs by determining the effective radius of influence of groundwater extraction systems; determining the amount of biological activity present in a bioremediation system; and evaluating the effects of sampling on colloidal concentrations. Potential applications include providing physical observation capabilities necessary to develop and confirm new, more accurate theoretical models of the porous media flow process and assessing the effects of water sampling techniques on natural colloidal concentrations.
10. Objective
10.1. Objective of technology (i.e., This technology will destroy VOCs in groundwater.):
To determine the vertical and spatial distribution of local groundwater velocity both in magnitude and direction.
10.2. Baseline (baseline technology to which it is compared): Conventional testing such as pump Pump or Bail Tests (Pump Tests)
11. Process Description:
The instrument consists of a charge coupled device (CCD) camera, an optical magnification lens, an illumination source, a down-hole compass to assess direction of natural flow, and a watertight stainless steel housing. The instrument is approximately 60 cm long, with a diameter of 44 mm. The electronic image is transmitted to the surface by a 33 m fiber optic cable. The image is viewed on a high resolution 25 cm monitor and recorded on VHS tape for further analysis. The magnified image corresponds to a 1.0 × 0.4 × 0.1 mm field of view.
11.1. Input:
The borescope is inserted into a monitoring well and fixed at the surface with a clamp.
11.2. Output:
A video image is transmitted from the downhole camera to an above ground video monitor.
12. Summary of Technology Advantages (relative to the baseline: faster, better, cheaper, safer):
Provides a direct means of accurately determining groundwater flow direction and velocity in a more cost effective manner than conventional methodologies. Flow velocities are measured directly under ambient flow condition. Unlike conventional methods, no water disposal is required thus minimizing water disposal costs.
13. Limitations of Technology (relative to the baseline: faster, better, cheaper, safer):
Software development is necessary to address variability of flow.
14. Major Technical Challenges:
Additional work is currently underway to address variability observed in well bore.
15. Technical Effectiveness:
15.1. Performance
15.1.1. Remaining Contamination: (contamination mobility reduction, volume reduction, toxicity reduction)
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.1.2. Process Waste
15.1.2.1. Status of waste (mobility, volume, hazard, recyclability)
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.1.2.2. Treatment (needed, available)
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.1.2.3. Decontamination / Decommissioning
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.1.2.4. Disposal (needed, available)
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.1.3. Practicality
15.1.3.1. Foreclose Future Options
Summary (20 words or less): Could be a useful research tool to assess colloidal transport and subsequent contaminant transport.
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15.1.3.2. Reliability
Summary (20 words or less): Video imaging is straight forward. Effects of subsurface magnetism on the compass is yet undetermined.
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15.1.3.3. Failure Control
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.1.3.4. Ease of Use
Summary (20 words or less): Instrument is simply inserted into a well and flow observed at the surface on a video monitor.
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15.1.3.5. Infrastructure
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.1.3.6. Versatility
Summary (20 words or less): Can be used in a well as small as 5 cm in diameter.
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15.1.3.7. System Compatibility
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.1.3.8. Off-the-Shelf (procurement ease)
Summary (20 words or less): Instrument can be ordered from R. J. Electronics in Turner, OR.
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15.1.3.9. Maintainability
Summary (20 words or less): No maintenance is required. The integrity of water proof seals should be checked periodically.
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15.1.3.10. Safety Measures
Summary (20 words or less): Stainless steel construction allows for easy decontamination.
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15.1.4. ``Works'' (functions as intended):
Summary (20 words or less): Could provide insight to heterogeneity, pore size distribution, flow direction in flat gradient areas, effective radius of pumping, and pressure movement in aquifers.
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15.2. Cost
15.2.1. Start-Up Cost
Summary (20 words or less): Instrument presently costs approximately 20K. Costs should significantly decrease when production begins.
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15.2.2. Operations and Maintenance Cost
Summary (20 words or less): Only costs associated with the instrument is manpower for operation.
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15.2.3. Life-cycle cost
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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15.3. Time
15.3.1. Years Until Available
Summary (20 words or less): Prototypes are presently available. An advanced version with associated software should be available in 18 months.
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15.3.2. Speed/Rate
Summary (20 words or less): It takes approximately 30 minutes to obtain a measurement.
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15.3.3. Years to Finish
Summary (20 words or less): Research work should be completed in 18 months.
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16. Environmental Safety and Health
16.1. Worker Safety
16.1.1. Exposure to Hazardous Materials/Hazards
Summary (20 words or less): Standard decontamination procedures should be implemented at hazardous waste sites.
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16.1.2. Physical Requirements
Summary (20 words or less): Light weight, can be operated by a single person.
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16.1.3. Number of People Required
Summary (20 words or less): One person can operate the system.
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16.2. Public Health and Safety
16.2.1. Accidents
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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16.2.2. Routine Releases
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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16.2.3. Transportation
Summary (20 words or less): Shipped to site by standard couriers.
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16.3. Environmental Impacts
16.3.1. Ecological Impacts
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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16.3.2. Aesthetics
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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16.3.3. Natural Resources
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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16.3.4. Energy Demands
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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17. Socio-Political Interests
17.1. Public Perception
17.1.1. Proponent Reputation
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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17.1.2. Familiarity / Understandability
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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17.2. Tribal Rights / Future Land Use
17.2.1. Capacity for Unrestricted Use (terrestrial, aquatic)
Summary (20 words or less): Could be useful for a variety of groundwater investigations.
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17.3. Socio-Economic Interests
17.3.1. Economic Impacts
Summary (20 words or less): Cheaper way to obtain valuable hydrologic data.
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17.3.2. Labor Force Demands
Summary (20 words or less): Only a single individual is required to operate the system.
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18. Regulatory Objectives
18.1. Compatibility with Cleanup Milestones
Summary (20 words or less): The rate and extent of groundwater contamination is necessary for site characterization. The borescope provides this info.
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18.2. Regulatory Infrastructure / Track Record
Summary (20 words or less): Not applicable
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18.3. Regulatory Compliance
Summary (20 words or less): The rate and extent of groundwater contamination is necessary for site characterization. The borescope provides this info.
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19. Industrial Partnerships
19.1. Company Names:
R. J. Electronics
19.2. Rationale:
19.3. Contract Mechanism:
19.4. Other Potential Companies:
19.5. International:
20. Intellectual Property
20.1. Patent Ownership:
20.2. Other Owners:
20.3. Patent Number:
21. Cost Sharing:
22. Background on this technology (Where did the idea come from? Who else is doing similar work? What have the results been to date? What is the most significant competitor to this technology?):
Peter Kearl from Oak Ridge national Laboratory/Grand Junction, CO came up with the original idea. Mr. Kearl has been directing further research on the reliability of the technique.
23. Reference Documents:
P. M. Kearl, N. E. Korte, and T. A. Cronk. 1992. Suggested Modifications to Ground Water Sampling Procedures Based on Observations from the Colloidal Borescope. Ground Water Monitoring Review, 155. Spring.