Sealing Leaks in Geomembrane Liners Using Electrophoresis

An innovative method was demonstrated to seal leaks in geomembrane liners by attracting clay particles to the leaks using electrophoresis. Electrophoresis is the movement of electrically charged particles suspended in a liquid by the action of an electric field. A direct-current voltage impressed across the liner causes electrical current to flow through the leaks. The current produces a strong electric field at leaks. When a clay slurry is dispersed into the liquid in the impoundment, electrophoresis attracts the clay particles to the leaks, thereby sealing them. The method can seal leaks in liquid impoundments without removing the liquid or locating or accessing the leaks. The laboratory and full-scale test results were remarkable in that electrophoresis sealed the leaks completely when a layer of geofabric was under the liner, and electrophoresis reduced the leakage rate through holes as large as 10 mm in diameter by a factor of 1,600 in the field test with gravel under the liner, and by a factor of 1,667 in the laboratory basin with geonet under the liner.