A Strange Installation

[Tom Petersen]

I've been introduced to a groundwater remediation project that involves the installation of three large plate electrodes (100' x 25') buried vertically in the ground. They would have about 200 volts dc applied to them. Are there any electrical safety codes or standards that apply to this installation?

[ July 25, 2005, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: Tom Petersen ]

 

[bphgravity]

Re: A Strange Installation

Are you sure this isn't an animal population control project?

 

[LarryFine]

Re: A Strange Installation

Maybe they're trying to raise nightcrawlers.

 

[Tom Petersen]

Re: A Strange Installation

I don't mean to clutter the list, but I suppose the installation needs a brief explanation. The contaminants they're after carry a small electric charge. The underground plates make the contaminated water move from one plate to the other. Between the plates, a mixture of dirt and iron filings cause a chemical reaction that converts the contaminants to a harmless gas. So its an interesting installation, but I'm struggling to give them direction on how to make it safe.

 

[be4jc]

Re: A Strange Installation

Hey Larry
Been there done that & it really works good

 

[physis]

Re: A Strange Installation

It sounds very interesting. Electrolysis. Are the contaminates specific or is this supposed to work on everything?

Edit: How long are the electrodes expected to last?

[ July 26, 2005, 04:07 PM: Message edited by: physis ]

 

[Tom Petersen]

Re: A Strange Installation

The contaminates are specific and the electrodes are expected to last about three years. The process is planned to take about two years for about 99.9% of the contaminates to be removed.

 

[physis]

Re: A Strange Installation

Ooooohhhh, that's even more interesting. The plan is to clean up a plot of land. I like it.

Edit: as far as safety, isn't the area planned to be fenced off?

[ July 26, 2005, 07:25 PM: Message edited by: physis ]

 

[bphgravity]

Re: A Strange Installation

This really is very interesting. I have been reading articles on the web about this procedure all afternoon. I guess this is going on all over the place right under our noses. I read one article about this method used in Germany to clean water of contamination. It took 6 months to clean what would have taken 500 years under other conventional methods. That is truly amazing!