Prediction and elimination of pollution in ecosystems formed by decommissioned sludge reservoirs

Abstract

Introduction. The principles of forecasting and eliminating the consequences of pollution formed by decommissioned accumulators of heterophase municipal and industrial waste by means of high-pressure washing are proposed. The main tasks to be solved are the development of sludge accumulator assessment parameters and modelling pollution flows in geo-environments with heterogeneous filtration and rheological characteristics using the proposed prediction criteria.
 
 Materials and methods. The prediction is based on the model of mass transfer of pollution in the geo-environment from the standpoint of the laws of the theory of filtration and electrostatics. The regularities of the theory of filtration (Darcy’s Law) form the basis for the transport of “pure” liquids (true solutions) through “ideal” porous media. The regularities of electrostatics form the basis for the mass transfer of viscous pollution flows in fragments of the geo-environment with non-uniform resistance. An industrial experiment was carried out on high-pressure flushing of the geo-environment with flocculant solutions to eliminate pollution formed by a decommissioned hazardous waste storage facility.
 
 Results. Filtration and rheological properties of sludge and polluted geo-environment have been studied. Mathematical models of contaminated liquid filtration into the geo-environment from sludge bodies have been developed. The main dependences of the change in the filtration-rheological characteristics of the polluted geo-environment on the values of the solution injection pressure and the trajectory of the predicted radius of pollution are presented.
 
 Conclusions. According to the results of industrial research the method of high-pressure reagent washing of rocks of aeration zone from pollution of organic and mineral nature contained in infiltrates based on liquids of various viscosities has been developed. The hydrodynamic connection between absorbing and producing wells was revealed in the conditions of experimental areas of the cleaned geo-environment. The proposed methods for forecasting and eliminating pollution can be applied in projects for the elimination of objects of accumulated environmental damage formed by inactive sludge waste storage tanks.