Designing a Permeable Reactive Barrier for the Remediation of Copper Contaminated Groundwater.

Funnel and Gate Permeable Reactive Barrier Configuration for Contaminated Groundwater Remediation – Designing, Installation, and Modeling: A Review

“…It is now anticipated that these systems will require very little, if any, maintenance after installation for a minimum of five to 10 years. Only routine compliance and performance monitoring should incur operational expenditures [54].…”

“…Some of these emplacement restrictions may be addressed by newer means for inserting reactive media, such as injecting slurries, hydro fracturing, driving mandrels, etc. [54]. Additionally, when the contaminant distribution is not uniform, the configuration of radial filtration/ caisson, in which the filter is positioned in a cylindrical shape of the reactive media surrounded by the coarse material within a core of course materials, can better homogenize the pollutant concentration when entering the PRB gate.…”

“…The funnel-and-gate design alters the ground-water flow more than the continuous PRB does because of the funnels. To prevent diverting the flowing waters around the reactive zone, it is important in both designs to maintain the permeability of the reactive zone at a level that is equivalent to or higher than the permeability of the aquifer [54].…”

“…This is required for deciding where PRBs should be placed as well as calculating PRB dimensions and lifetime. The suitability of a location for PRB treatment is determined by factors such as hydraulic conductivity, soil porosity, hydraulic gradient, and the chemical makeup of the groundwater [78]. The performance of PRBs can improve, but it needs recommendations obtained from various larger-scale and pilot operations.…”