Water Drainage Techniques, Materials, Processes, and Maintenance (Essay Sample)

Water Drainage Techniques, Materials, Processes, and Maintenance
Dennis Raymond
Academic Research Writers
4th December 2014
Water Drainage Techniques, Materials, Processes, and Maintenance
Water drainage draws different definitions depending on the type of land use. In a mining background, the kind of water drainage is referred to as the Acidic mine drainage (AMD), which is one of the top-most ecological challenges encountered, by most mining industries. Therefore, AMD is basically a water drainage flow that results from either surface mining or deep mining that is typically extremely acidic due to high levels of dissolved minerals (Tripathy, 2014). In this essay, some of the techniques are initiated in mitigating the Acid drainage some which includes the use of AMD neutralization, vertical flow reactors, and diversion wells. Subsequent sections are the discussion of the material used, processes and maintenance of the AMD system.[Tripathy (2014) remarks that AMD is identified as one of the serious ecological problems in the mining industries. It is a result of a succession of complex microbial and geochemical reactions that transpire when water meets pyrite iron in coal or the overload of a mine operation.]
Techniques of AMD Water Drainage
The first technique is AMD Neutralization. This method involves the neutralization of the acid by addition of an appropriately calculated amount of base (Tripathy, 2014). Some of the alkaline chemicals that added to buffer the acidity include calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, and anhydrous ammonia. Mostly these chemicals are aimed at raising the PH to tolerable levels and reduce the solubility of dissolved minerals. This treatment procedure engrosses; equipment for supplying the neutralizing agent; amalgamating of the two streams; formula for iron oxidation; and settling ponds for precipitate (Tripathy, 2014).
Diversion wells are the second technique. The diversion wells are another uncomplicated method of adding alkalinity to acidic waters. The technique involves directing a pipe downstream which contains aggregates of crushed limestone through which acidic water flows out. A hydraulic force within the tube causes turbulent mixing of limestone that allows water to flow upstream, gets isolated before redirecting back to the well (Tripathy, 2004). Research on the Leviathan mine in east-central California is an appropriate case to illustrate how a diversion can serve to mitigate Acidic drainage, which the researcher here referred to as Mining influenced water (MWI). The mine was abandoned due to infiltration of sulfur into underground and surface. However in isolating clean water from MIW, a 571 meter long reinforced channel was erected in the place. The AMD water was diverted to an evaporation pond and was successful in the flow of clean water to the mine (Gusek & Figueroa, 2009).[In their research, Gusek, and Figueroa (2009) established that surface water diversion is one of the appropriate to control AMD and MIW situations. Construction of a diversion ditch was enough in Central-East California]
Thirdly is the Vertical Reactor Flow (VFR) technique. The reactors flow forms another method often conceived in overcoming the alkalinity (Tripathy, 2014). The procedure entails a treatment cell combined with under drained limestone that is topped with an organic substrate layer and stagnant water. The flow of water is vertically through the substrate and limestone, the water is then collected through a piping system thus raising the alkalinity (Tripathy, 2014). Consequently, highly acidic mines can be treated by the AMD running through a reactor flow system. The practical application of the vertical reactor flow is the research by Condon (1999) on the design of the waste rock dumping facility in Alaska’s Greens Creek mine. He established that the under drains consisted of perforated pipes surrounded with limestone aggregate and a fabric filter for neutralizing waste through compaction (Gusek & Figueroa, 2009).
The materials employed for the techniques: Materials used in the AMD mitigation entirely depend on the method used. Starting with Neutralization, ammonia, and small rock quicklime are the most cost-effective. However, in high flow state pebble quicklime and hydrated lime are the most effective due to their small reagent price tag in contrast to other reagents (Tripathy, 2014). As with diversion wells, the materials required include bed of crushed limestone, perforated pipes, and filter. Thirdly, the VRF requires organic substrate, stagnant water, limestone, and a series of pipes (Tripathy, 2014)...