Laboratory Demonstration of Hydrocarbon Migration in the Vadose Zone: Effectiveness of the U-Tube Design for Underground Storage Tank Leak Detection Monitoring |
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| Authors: | David S Springer Edward A Keller Lome G Everett Lawrence A Eccles |
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| Institution: | David S. Springer is a post-graduate researcher at the Vadose Zone Monitoring Laboratory at UCSB (University of California at Santa Barbara, Environmental Studies Program and Department of Geological Sciences, Santa Barbara, CA 93106) where he has developed physical models demonstrating unsaturated flow in the vadose zone. He recently wrote and presented a paper at the NWWA Outdoor Action Conference in May 1991 that addressed the determination of air permeability as a function of a variable water content. As a hydrogeological consultant, he has performed numerous field investigations of soil and ground water systems associated with USTs and has aided in the design and operation of remediation systems.;Dr. Edward A. Keller is chairman of the Environmental Studies Program at the University of California at Santa Barbara (University of California at Santa Barbara, Environmental Studies Program and Department of Geological Sciences, Santa Barbara, CA 93106). Dr. Keller is responsible for initiating a new Hydrologic Studies Program within the University of California system. He is the author of Environmental Geology.;Dr. Lome G. Everett is chief scientist and vice president of Metcalf &Eddy Inc., in Santa Barbara, California (University of California at Santa Barbara, Institute for Crustal Studies, 93106, and Metcalf &Eddy Inc., Santa Barbara, CA 93101). In addition to writing eight books and more than 100 professional papers, Dr. Everett is the director of the Vadose Zone Research Lab at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is the Chairman ofASTM D18.21.02, dealing with vadose zone monitoring.;Lawrence A. Eccles is the project officer with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, Nevada (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas NV 89114). He is a senior hydrogeologist, having spent his entire career developing state-of-the-art vadose zone and ground water monitoring strategies. |
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| Abstract: | The experimental results derived from a laboratory model of gasoline migration from a simulated leaking underground storage tank (UST) demonstrate that the direction of migration through the simulated fill material is essentially straight down. Consequently, the U-tube design for leak detection monitoring of USTs has limited utility because that design relies on the assumption that the path of migration of the leaked fluids will follow the surface of the tank to the bottom and be intercepted by the U-tube below. |
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