An Empirical Study on the Improvement of In Situ Soil Remediation Using Plasma Blasting,  Pneumatic Fracturing and Vacuum Suction

Jae-Yong Song; Geun-Chun Lee; Cha-Won Kang; Eun-Sup Kim; Hyun-Shic Jang; Bo-An Jang; Yu-Chul Park

doi:10.9720/kseg.2023.1.085

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2023 Vol.33, Issue 1 Preview Page Next Page

Research Article

An Empirical Study on the Improvement of In Situ Soil Remediation Using Plasma Blasting, Pneumatic Fracturing and Vacuum Suction 플라즈마 블라스팅, 공압파쇄, 진공추출이 활용된 지중 토양정화공법의 정화 개선 효과에 대한 실증연구

31 March 2023. pp. 85-103

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Abstract

The in-situ remediation of a solidified stratum containing a large amount of fine-texture material like clay or organic matter in contaminated soil faces limitations such as increased remediation cost resulting from decreased purification efficiency. Even if the soil conditions are good, remediation generally requires a long time to complete because of non-uniform soil properties and low permeability. This study assessed the remediation effect and evaluated the field applicability of a methodology that combines pneumatic fracturing, vacuum extraction, and plasma blasting (the PPV method) to improve the limitations facing existing underground remediation methods. For comparison, underground remediation was performed over 80 days using the experimental PPV method and chemical oxidation (the control method). The control group showed no decrease in the degree of contamination due to the poor delivery of the soil remediation agent, whereas the PPV method clearly reduced the degree of contamination during the remediation period. Remediation effect, as assessed by the reduction of the highest TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons) concentration by distance from the injection well, was uncleared in the control group, whereas the PPV method showed a remediation effect of 62.6% within a 1 m radius of the injection well radius, 90.1% within 1.1~2.0 m, and 92.1% within 2.1~3.0 m. When evaluating the remediation efficiency by considering the average rate of TPH concentration reduction by distance from the injection well, the control group was not clear; in contrast, the PPV method showed 53.6% remediation effect within 1 m of the injection well, 82.4% within 1.1~2.0 m, and 68.7% within 2.1~3.0 m. Both ways of considering purification efficiency (based on changes in TPH maximum and average contamination concentration) found the PPV method to increase the remediation effect by 149.0~184.8% compared with the control group; its average increase in remediation effect was ~167%. The time taken to reduce contamination by 80% of the initial concentration was evaluated by deriving a correlation equation through analysis of the TPH concentration: the PPV method could reduce the purification time by 184.4% compared with chemical oxidation. However, the present evaluation of a single site cannot be equally applied to all strata, so additional research is necessary to explore more clearly the proposed method’s effect.

Keywords

plasma blasting

pneumatic fracturing

vacuum suction

PPV method

in situ

점토와 같은 세립질 또는 유기물을 다량으로 함유하거나 다져진 지층을 대상으로 지중(in-situ) 정화를 진행하는 경우, 정화효율이 떨어져 정화비용이 증가하는 등의 한계가 발생한다. 또한, 토양조건이 양호하더라도 균일하지 않은 토질특성과 낮은 투수특성으로 인해 장기간에 걸쳐 정화를 수행하여 완료되는 것이 일반적이다. 본 연구는 기존 지중정화의 한계를 개선하기 위한 방법으로 공압파쇄, 진공추출, 플라즈마 블라스팅을 접목한 기술(PPV공법)의 정화효과 확인과 현장 적용성을 평가하고자 수행하였다. 상대적인 비교를 위하여 본 연구에 적용된 기술을 실험군으로 하고 기존 공법인 화학적산화공법을 대조군으로 하여 TPH로 오염된 토양에서80일에 걸쳐 각각 지중정화를 수행하였으며, 총 4차에 걸쳐 모니터링 시료를 채취하여 정화효과를 비교 평가하였다. 모니터링 결과, 대조군은 정화제 전달효과가 불량하여 오염도의 감소 경향성을 보이지 않는 반면 실험군(PPV공법) 적용에서는 정화시간이 경과함에 따라 뚜렷한 오염도 저감효과가 나타난다. 주입정으로부터 거리별 TPH 최고농도 저감율을 평가하면, 대조군은 경향성이 없으나 PPV공법은 주입정 반경 1 m 이내에서는 62.6%, 1.1~2.0 m에서 90.1%, 2.1~3.0 m에서 92.1%의 정화효과를 보인다. 주입정으로부터 거리별 TPH 평균농도 저감율을 평가하면, 대조군은 실질적인 정화효과가 없으나 PPV공법은 주입정 반경 1 m 이내에서는 53.6%, 1.1~2.0 m에서 82.4%, 2.1~3.0 m에서 68.7%의 정화효과가 확인되었다. TPH 최대 및 평균 오염농도의 변화를 토대로 실험군과 대조군의 정화효율을 평가한 결과, PPV공법은 대조군 대비 149.0~184.8%의 정화효과가 상승하는 것으로 평가할 수 있으며 평균 정화효과 상승률은 약167%이다. 시간경과에 대한 TPH 농도를 분석을 통해 상관관계식을 도출하고 이를 활용하여 최초 농도 대비 80% 저감기간을 평가한 결과 PPV공법을 적용하는 경우 화학적산화공법 적용시보다 184.4%의 정화시간 단축이 가능할 것으로 평가되었다. 다만, 단일 부지에 대한 평가 결과이기 때문에 모든 지층에 동일하게 적용될 수 없으므로 향후 이에 대한 추가적인 연구를 수행하여 그 효과를 보다 면밀히 검토할 필요가 있다.

키워드

플라즈마 블라스팅

공압파쇄

진공추출

PPV공법

지중정화

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Information

Publisher :Korean Society of Engineering Geology
Publisher(Ko) :대한지질공학회
Journal Title :The Journal of Engineering Geology
Journal Title(Ko) :지질공학
Volume : 33
No :1
Pages :85-103
Received Date : 2023-03-03
Revised Date : 2023-03-27
Accepted Date : 2023-03-28
DOI :https://doi.org/10.9720/kseg.2023.1.085

The Journal of Engineering Geology ISSN:1226-5268(Print) 2287-7169(Online) 지질공학

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