Patent Description:
Lining systems for containment systems (e.g., systems which contain bodies of water such as ponds) and the like are used to provide an "impermeable" barrier between contaminants and the underlying ground. Generally, these liners are made of insulating material (such as high density polyethylene) which, even if thoroughly tested to be defect free when shipped, can be damaged during shipping and/or installation by, for example, heavy equipment, cutting tools, welding equipment, animals, and vandalism, necessitating that a final leak check be conducted after the liner is installed to locate leaks caused by any such damage. The liner can also be damaged after it is covered by soil and/or liquid, including during its service life as a result, for example, of stones, rocks and/or settlement. Detecting such leaks is important, particularly where hazardous materials are involved, as holes as small as <NUM> millimeter in diameter may cause leaks on the order of a couple of gallons per day with one foot of water pressure.

Electrical leak location has heretofore been used which involves placing an electrical potential across a geomembrane and then locate the points of anomalous potential distribution where electrical current flows through leaks in the geomembrane. The electrical potential is typically applied utilizing a power supply with the positive electrode submerged in water or a soil layer above the geomembrane, and the negative electrode connected to the soil layer below. When there are leaks, electrical current flows through the leaks, which produces high current density and a localized anomaly in the potential distribution in the material above the geomembrane. Electrical measurements are made to locate those areas of anomalous signal at the leaks. ASTM D7002 and D7007, for example, include details pertaining to such tests. Such measurements have been made using a dipole or pole measurement configuration (though various types of data acquisition equipment can be used), with point by point measurements commonly made using either dipole or pole measurements along parallel lines on a grid pattern.

In one such method of electrically detecting liner leaks, for example, a potential is induced across the thickness of a liner. If a potential of one polarity is induced on one side of the sheet and a potential of the opposite polarity is induced on the opposite side of the sheet, the resulting electrical field will be affected if there is any conductivity from side to side across the sheet, with the effects on the conduction monitored to detect the presence of a leak. Such a detecting method requires an electrically conductive media both above and below the liner, which can be provided by liquid or soil above the liner and good electrical contact with a conductive underlying soil.

However, in some installations, electrically detecting leaks in the above described manner is unreliable. For example, if the liner is not maintained in good electrical contact with the earth (due to, e.g., use of double liners or other insulating materials, irregularities in the subgrade, and/or wrinkles in the liner) and/or the earth under the geomembrane is dry or not conductive or highly resistant (e.g., in a landfill or with a mining heap leach pad, secondary containment, or coal ash containment), reliable measurements of potential may not be obtained. Similarly, in some landfills, there is leak detection layer of either sand, gravel or geosynthetic product directly underneath the geomembrane for draining any leakage through the geomembrane to a detection site, which layer can inhibit or nullify the leak location survey due to the lack of conductivity of the material.

One solution to this unreliability arising from possibly insufficient electrical conductivity on the underside of the liner was suggested in <CIT>, which disclosed placing the liner over or even adhesively secured to a metal foil sheet, where the foil would provide the required underlying conductivity. That technique was not widely accepted in the industry, however, as such foil is expensive, securing the metal foil to the liner, whether adhesively or mechanically, is extremely difficult to achieve, and the exposed metal foil could severely degrade as a result of, for example, galvanic corrosion, at the construction site.

Spencer <CIT> has significantly improved upon the foil sheet suggestion by disclosing a liner having an electrically conductive layer provided by embedding conductive particles in the bottom of the layer. The integrity of the sheet is then monitored by establishing an electric field across the sheet and monitoring for sparks between a probe and the bottom, conductive plastic layer. Such spark testing has been accomplished, for example, with a test device that includes a high voltage power source with the positive lead attached to a brass brush and the negative lead attached to a conductive neoprene grounding pad laid on top of the geomembrane. See, for example, ASTM <NUM>.

Spark testing of seams in particular has heretofore been done such as detailed in ASTM D6365, wherein conductive material is inserted into the seam just prior to or during fabrication of the seam, with the conductive material connected to a negative terminal of a test apparatus and a positive voltage applied across the seam edge such that a suspect area in the seam is indicated by a spark from the voltage source to the conductive material.

While the Spencer '<NUM> invention significantly improved leak detection in testing panels, it should be appreciated that during construction of a lined pond, leaks may be caused in a geomembrane panel which was found by testing to have no leaks immediately after liner installation (e.g., by puncturing a liner when it is covered in place by soil and/or water). Moreover, since such lined facilities are typically constructed using a plurality of geomembrane panels heat welded together along seams, testing of the individual panels will not detect leaks at the seams of the panels, where false and anomalous readings have been found. Still further, the conductivity of individual liner panels is often still insufficient for reliable testing, particularly where the liner panel is not maintained in good electrical contact with the earth (due to, e.g., use of double liners, irregularities in the subgrade, and/or wrinkles in the liner) and/or the earth is dry or not conductive.

<CIT> discloses a device for the overlapping welding of foil edges.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a heat welder for securing edges of adjacent geomembrane liner panels together according to independent claim <NUM>.

A heat welding apparatus <NUM> is disclosed in the Figures which may be used in accordance with the present invention to heat weld seams <NUM> between geomembrane panels <NUM>, <NUM> (typically, rolls of plastic sheet) used to form a liner <NUM> for, for example, large containment areas, referred to herein generally as containment systems.

The panels <NUM>, <NUM> are geomembranes formed of a suitable leak proof non-conductive material having a suitable integral conductive lower surface <NUM>. The lower conductive surfaces of the individual panels <NUM>, <NUM> may also be interconnected with a series of conductive geomembranes, wires, or other conductive media in a grid pattern, or other materials suitable for connecting individual panels. Moreover, in accordance with the present invention, the formed seams <NUM> between panels <NUM>, <NUM> maybe be suitably tested for leaks even after covered with, for example, water and/or soil, allowing performance of a reliable leak location survey.

In particular, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, seams <NUM> may be easily formed so as to avoid the anomalies found in testing liner seams heretofore. Specifically, as illustrated in <FIG>, the geomembrane panels <NUM>', <NUM>' have heretofore been connected in prior art liners <NUM>' by overlapping two edges of the panels <NUM>', <NUM>' and then heat welding the overlapping edges together along a seam <NUM>'. Even where two such seams <NUM>' are formed as illustrated to help to guard against leaks between the overlapping edges, the conductive lower surface <NUM> of the seam flap <NUM>' of the top panel <NUM>' will carry current from above the liner <NUM>' through the seams <NUM>' to the bottom of the liner <NUM>' (i.e., at the right side of <FIG>) where it is in contact with the underlying ground <NUM>. Such conductivity through the seams <NUM>' provides a false identification of a leak in the liner <NUM>' along the seam <NUM>'. Moreover, ignoring such current flow as being anomalous (or as indicating a leak through the seam(s) <NUM>') could cause actual leaks through the bottom panel <NUM>' near the flap <NUM>' of the overlying edge of the top panel <NUM>' to be overlooked.

In accordance with the present invention, the seam(s) <NUM> between adjacent panels may be advantageously heat welded continuously along the length of the overlapping edges of adjacent panels <NUM>, <NUM> wherein the conductive layer <NUM> on the bottom of the top panel <NUM> is interrupted along the parallel lines of the seam(s) <NUM> during the heat welding process (see <FIG>). As a result, the seam(s) <NUM> between adjacent panels <NUM>, <NUM> will not allow electric current to flow between the top and bottom of the system through the liner seam(s), and thus reliable leak test readings may be obtained even at the seam(s) <NUM>.

The heat welding apparatus <NUM> and formation of the seams <NUM> will now be described.

Specifically, a heat welding apparatus <NUM> which may be advantageously used in connection with the present invention includes a body <NUM> having front and rear ends <NUM>, <NUM>. As best seen in <FIG>, the body <NUM> defines top and bottom slots <NUM>, <NUM> extending between the front and rear ends <NUM>, <NUM>, each slot <NUM>, <NUM> being generally horizontally oriented and arranged to accept the overlapping edges of adjacent panels <NUM>, <NUM>.

As best understood from <FIG> and <FIG>, the slots <NUM>, <NUM> of the apparatus (heat welder) <NUM> are also open on opposite lateral sides of the body <NUM>, so that the welder <NUM> may be oriented so that it too overlaps with the overlapping edges of the panels <NUM>, <NUM>. The apparatus is suitably supported by front and rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM> so that it may move relative to the panels <NUM>, <NUM> and may be suitably driven by nip rollers <NUM> (as indicated by the arrows <NUM>) to pull the heat welder <NUM> along the panels <NUM>, <NUM> in the direction of arrow <NUM>.

It should be understood that while the apparatus slots <NUM>, <NUM> may be described as extending horizontally, such horizontal orientation refers to the slots <NUM>, <NUM> extending generally from the front to rear ends <NUM>, <NUM>, with the slots <NUM>, <NUM> providing a non-planar path which merges together at the rear end <NUM> of the apparatus <NUM>.

Moreover, it should be understood that while the slots <NUM>, <NUM> may be described as having top and bottom walls for simplicity of description, such description encompasses guiding members <NUM> such as contour rollers and/or partial walls. As such, "slots" as described generally herein would encompass any structure in which the edges of the panels <NUM>, <NUM> may be moved through the apparatus while maintaining their generally horizontal orientation without buckling or folding.

The welder <NUM> includes a heating unit <NUM> between the slots <NUM>, <NUM> and forward of the merger of the slots <NUM>, <NUM> at the apparatus rear end <NUM>. Advantageously, the heating unit <NUM> defines a portion of a bottom wall of the top slot <NUM> and a portion of the top wall of the bottom slot <NUM> and is wedge shaped so as to be tapered together at its rear end. The heating unit <NUM> is suitably heated so that the panels <NUM>, <NUM> which pass over the heating unit <NUM> have their faces heated sufficiently so that when the panels <NUM>, <NUM> are pressed together in the merged path at the apparatus rear end <NUM>, they are heat welded.

As illustrated, the heating unit <NUM> includes two laterally spaced heating sections <NUM>, <NUM>, for forming a seal having two parallel seams <NUM>, though it should be understood that it would be within the scope of the present invention to provide a single heat welded seam, or more than two seams if desired.

Moreover, in accordance with the present invention, at least one heating section <NUM>, <NUM> of the heating unit <NUM> also includes at least one projection or fin <NUM> extending partially into the top slot <NUM> from below.

The fin <NUM> may advantageously be of any shape suitable to melt through the conductive thin layer on the bottom surface <NUM> of overlapping edge of the top panel <NUM> as it passes through the slot <NUM> and past the projection <NUM>. Moreover, while the fin <NUM> may advantageously be shaped as illustrated, with a pointed leading (forward) edge, the shape and size could vary while still providing at least some of the advantages of the present invention.

Further, the fin <NUM> may be an integral part of the heating unit <NUM>, or it may advantageously be provided on an insert <NUM> in a recessed pocket in the heating unit <NUM> and removably secured therein by, for example, a countersunk screw <NUM>. Still further, for heating units <NUM> such as illustrated which have more than one heating section <NUM>, <NUM>, it should be appreciated that a projection <NUM> may be provided on both sections <NUM>, <NUM> to provide redundancy, although at least some of the advantages of the present invention could be provided with a projection <NUM> provided on only one of the sections <NUM>, <NUM>.

It should thus be appreciated that as the two heated panels <NUM>, <NUM> are pressed together behind the heating unit <NUM> by the nip rollers <NUM>, each of which have two sections aligned with the two fins <NUM>, respectively for forming the heat welded seams <NUM> along the length of the panels <NUM>, <NUM>. The welder <NUM> will thus form a pair of parallel seals <NUM> between the overlapping adjacent panels <NUM>, <NUM> wherein, as shown in <FIG>, there is no conductive layer passing through either of the seams <NUM> - that is, there will be no current flow through across the seams <NUM> such as has heretofore provided anomalous and erroneous readings when leak testing. (It should be appreciated also that it would be within the scope of the present invention to form only one such seam <NUM>).

Yet another embodiment of the present invention allows for reliable leak testing of liners formed of a plurality of panels even when used in applications where the liner may not be not maintained in good electrical contact with the earth (due to, e.g., use of double liners, irregularities in the subgrade, and/or wrinkles in the liner) and/or the earth is dry or not sufficiently conductive.

Specifically, as illustrated in <FIG>, in accordance with this aspect of the invention, a conductive member <NUM> may be provided beneath adjacent geomembrane liner panels <NUM>, <NUM> having conductive bottom surfaces <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the conductive member <NUM> is an inverted section of a geomembrane liner panel with a conductive surface on one side - laid upside down with the conductive surface <NUM> on top so that it contacts the conductive bottom surfaces <NUM> of both of the liner panels <NUM>, <NUM>.

While the conductive member <NUM> may extend continuously underneath the adjacent liner panels <NUM>, <NUM>, spanning across the two so as to place them in electrical contact with each other, it should be appreciated that the member <NUM> may also consist of spaced short sections or strips of conductive geomembranes conductively connecting the adjacent panels <NUM>, <NUM> at spaced locations along the seam(s). In fact, it should be appreciated that virtually any conductive member <NUM> could be used, including a grid of spaced wires or other conductive media laid beneath the liner, so long as it allows for the individual panels to effectively provide a single conductive bottom surface across the plurality of panels defining the liner <NUM>.

It should be appreciated that while <FIG> illustrates this aspect of the invention with a seam incorporating the first aspect of the invention (i.e., with the conductive bottom surface <NUM> of the top liner panel <NUM> broken), the advantages of this second aspect of the invention (i.e., a conductive interconnection of the bottom surfaces of adjacent liner panels) could be provided with even prior art seams such as illustrated in <FIG>. However, the full advantages of both aspects of the invention may be provided by the configuration illustrated in <FIG>.

As previously noted, leak detection sensitivity depends on the conductivity of the materials above and below the geomembrane. As also previously noted, standard leak detection tests may use either water or moisture in the soil to transmit voltage above the geomembrane, and standard testing may utilize water or moisture in the soil below the liner for a grounding source. If there is a hole in the geomembrane then the voltage introduced in the above material will flow through the hole and to the grounding source underneath the geomembrane creating a current for leak detections. However, as also previously noted, where the material underneath the geomembrane does not have enough (or consistent) moisture to provide a suitable grounding source, such leak location testing could not heretofore be suitably performed.

With a liner <NUM> formed according to this aspect of the invention, leak surveys can be accomplish with direct connection to a minimum number of panels (i.e., any one of interconnected panels). The bottom conductive surfaces <NUM> of the electrically interconnected geomembrane panels (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>) provide a single grounding source underneath the liner <NUM> to allow the leak location survey to be performed over entire geomembrane surface. Since the conductive layer (bottom surfaces <NUM> and conductive member <NUM>) is always in intimate contact with the geomembrane panels <NUM>, <NUM>, and the conductivity is consistent regardless of the conductivity of the underlying layers, leak surveys can be more effectively performed when the conductive layer is utilized.

It should also be appreciated that leak detection of liners <NUM> formed of a plurality of panels <NUM>, <NUM> according to the present invention may be performed using a variety of leak testing methods, including spark testing according to ASTM <NUM>. Moreover, leak detection of the seams of liners <NUM> formed according to the present invention could also be accomplished by spark testing according to ASTM <NUM>, with conductive material inserted into the seal (e.g., between the seams <NUM>) and spark testing performed in the area of the seams <NUM>.

It should thus be appreciated that the present invention as disclosed herein allows for containment system liners to be more easily, economically and reliably inspected using an electrical inspection apparatus to detect leaks. Such inspections can be made without the need for maintaining good electrical contact with conductive natural surroundings outside the liner. Furthermore, other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a review of the entire specification including any appended claims and drawings.

Claim 1:
A heat welder (<NUM>) for securing edges of adjacent geomembrane liner panels (<NUM>,<NUM>) together, said geomembrane liner panels (<NUM>,<NUM>) having conductive bottom surfaces (<NUM>) and being overlapped along their edges with a first one of said panels on top of a second one of said panels, said welder comprising:
a welder body (<NUM>) having forward (<NUM>) and rear (<NUM>) ends and defining first and second slots (<NUM>,<NUM>) with top and bottom walls extending between the welder body (<NUM>) front and rear, wherein
the first slot (<NUM>) is open on one lateral side for receiving the first one of said panels and is substantially horizontally oriented at said lateral side,
the second slot (<NUM>) is below said first slot (<NUM>) and open on the lateral side opposite the one side for receiving the overlapping edge of the second one of said panels and is substantially horizontally oriented at said lateral side, and
said first and second slots (<NUM>,<NUM>) merge at the body rear end (<NUM>);
a drive (<NUM>) for moving the welder body (<NUM>) forward;
a heating unit (<NUM>) between said first and second slots (<NUM>,<NUM>) and forward of said merged first and second slots (<NUM>,<NUM>), said heating unit (<NUM>) defining a portion of a bottom wall of the first slot (<NUM>) ; and characterised by
at least one projection (<NUM>) extending partially into said first slot (<NUM>) for engaging the conductive bottom surface (<NUM>) of the first one of said panels (<NUM>) to interrupt the conductive bottom surface (<NUM>) along a line as it passes the projection (<NUM>);
wherein said merged first and second slots (<NUM>,<NUM>) press together first and second liner panels (<NUM>,<NUM>) to heat weld the first and second liner panels (<NUM>,<NUM>) together along the line of the interrupted conductive bottom surface (<NUM>).