Solmax’s new Leak Location Suite – an advanced approach to preventing geomembrane leaks
Smart technology for cost-effective, high-performance containment
Geosynthetics manufacturer Solmax has launched a Leak Location Suite (LLS) that raises the bar on electric liner integrity (ELI) surveys. Solmax’s LLS aims to raise standards with its advanced approach, building repeatable liner testing and remediation into containment design.
“Geosynthetics are critical to contain waste — they line the world’s biggest landfills and keep hazardous outputs from mines and industrial processes from contaminating the environment,” says Jimmy Youngblood, Global Geosynthetics Manager, Solmax. “But even the best liners can puncture. This can put a company’s investment, reputation, and the environment at risk.”
Solmax’s innovative Leak Location Suite comprises a customizable conductive liner, patented Iso-wedge installation tool, and spark tester. The value lies in the conductive bottom surface of the liner. It enables ELI testing of covered or exposed geomembranes without the addition of a physical conductive layer — i.e., flooding the substrate or hydrating the sub-grade, which can be costly, logistically difficult, and may require subsequent removal and containment of the water waste.
What makes this LLS innovative is that the Solmax Leak Location Conductive Liner can be tailored to the needs of the application, because it comprises a co-extruded HDPE or LLDPE. The bottom layer is made of electrically conductive carbon black, but the top layer can be smooth or textured, white, black or green.
The Iso-wedge is specially designed to ensure that conductive geomembranes are effectively welded together and that the exposed upper seam flap is reliably isolated the from the bottom panel.
The S-100 Spark Tester is specifically designed to enable fast, accurate ELI surveys (Spark Tests) on exposed conductive membranes – even on the most challenging surfaces.
Regular liner integrity testing will ensure reliable containment of waste, helping companies minimize leakage and avoid penalties. But there is more to this than just the threat of environmental contamination. Leaks can lead to geotechnical issues, causing erosion of the underlying subgrade and/or slope instability, which can put the entire investment at risk.
Notes Youngblood: “This is a complete package, a comprehensive quality leak location solution that will allow testing at installation and after covering the geomembrane, regardless of the site-specific conditions and materials. It gives engineers more flexibility in their design. It also enables them to more cost-efficiently build repeatable liner testing and remediation into containment design to ensure that risks to investment, environment, and reputation can more effectively be managed.”
For more on Solmax’s Leak Location Suite click here
Solmax
Solmax is the world’s largest geosynthetics manufacturer with plants in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Used in critical applications in more than 60 countries by the biggest names in mining, petroleum, waste management, water, and civil engineering, our products contain and drain–creating a layer of protection between our most precious resource, the earth, and the waste and contaminants that result from human activity, industry, mining, and the use of fossil fuels. Our mission is to enable progress with minimal damage to the environment. Agile and innovation-led, Solmax aims to reshape the geosynthetics industry, applying digital technologies and state-of-the-art R&D expertise to deliver advanced solutions that are even more reliable, stronger, resistant to contaminants, and affordable, even in developing countries. Our message to our clients: Aim for the sky; we’ve got the ground covered. Visit us at www.solmax.com.
