Patent ID: 6659176
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: B09C

Abstract:
A method for detecting an increase in the amount of a non-aqueous phase liquid during a process for remediating a layer of non-aqueous phase liquids from a surface of water in an environment, the method comprising:determining an elevation of said surface of said water and a thickness of said layer of non-aqueous phase liquids at a plurality of discrete times; recording data corresponding to said elevation of said water surface and to said thickness of said layer of non-aqueous phase liquids at said plurality of discrete times; sorting said data to develop a set of water surface elevation measurements for thicknesses of said layer of said non-aqueous phase liquids greater than a predetermined minimum thickness; querying said data to determine a most persistent elevation of said water surface as measured within a predetermined deviation range; sorting said thickness measurements of said layer of said non-aqueous phase liquids corresponding to said most persistent measured elevation of said water surface; plotting the thickness of said layer of said non-aqueous phase liquids corresponding to each of said most persistent measured elevations of said water surface as a function of time; examining each of said plotted thicknesses of said layer of said non-aqueous phase liquids for increases over a previous plotted thickness of said layer of said non-aqueous phase liquids; and indicating an increase in the amount of said non-aqueous phase liquids within said layer when an increase in a plotted thickness of said layer of said non-aqueous phase liquids occurs.