Pilot Testing
Before full scale remediation work can begin on a site, it’s important to determine which (if any) ISCO/R technology is applicable. A pilot test is basically a miniature version of a full scale event, and serves to address the following questions.
- What is the radius of influence from each injection point?
- Maximum radius of influence helps us to determine the density of injection points required to cover the site.
- Selecting the proper grid density is crucial in terms of preventing short circuiting through neighboring pilot holes during injection.
- What is the volume of injectate that can be delivered into each point?
- Combined with information about radius of influence, we are then able to determine the maximum volume which can be delivered during a single injection event.
- What is the character of the subsurface in terms of vertical / lateral permeability?
- Are there excavations, foundations, utility corridors, rodent burrows, etc. which will affect the movement of fluids through the subsurface?
- What is the character of the subsurface in terms of penetration rate?
- Determines flow rate and possibly injectate composition.
- What will be the effect of access / traffic issues?
- Determines when and where the work can be performed safely.
With these questions answered, we are able to determine most of the parameters related to the delivery of fluids during a full scale event. This information, combined with bench-scale testing of native site materials gives us a fairly complete picture of what a full scale event will entail. As a result, suboptimal suprises can be minimized and costs and project scheduling can be determined with a greater degree of accuracy
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