An Experimental Setup for Electromagnetic Stimulation of Geoenvironmental Applications

Cleaning contaminated soil/groundwater is important to federal and state agencies. Traditional contaminant removal methods are costly and impractical for large sites. Less disruptive remediation techniques (e.g., air sparging) are attractive but limited by the restriction of airflow in soil. The use of electromagnetic (EM) stimulation to expedite airflow, diffusion, and control air channel formation is investigated. The diffusion of an inert dye as the diffusive matter within water and the effect of EM waves on the diffusion are experimentally modeled. To study the effect on air sparging through saturated soil, a clear acrylic box filled with a water-saturated glass bead medium and air as the diffusive matter is used. The effects of the electric field on air channel formation in the second case (i.e., glass-bead medium) are studied. It is expected that the stimulation of the water increases the diffusion of air between air channels and expands the air channel volume. The EM field is made possible using a dipole antenna connected to an RF source. The alternating electric field emitted off the antenna into the medium, oscillates the dipole water molecules. The stimulation helps enhance diffusion and enlarge the formed air channels.