Soil‐heating technology shown to accelerate the removal of volatile organic compounds from clay soils

Abstract

The Six‐Phase Soil Heating (SPSH) technology was demonstrated to be capable of heating and remediating low‐permeability soils containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Six‐Phase Soil Heating accelerated the removal of VOCs from clay soils, removing over 99 percent of the contaminants in only 25 days. Soil temperature profiles showed that SPSH was successful in heating the targeted clay zone that contained higher levels of soil contamination. The success of SPSH has resulted in its planned use and consideration by potential commercial partners for use at private industrial and other government sites.

Augmenting in‐situ remediation by soil vapor extraction with six‐phase soil heating

“…Pre-and posttreatment sampling at the site indicated approximately 1500 tons of soil were treated and the SPSH system achieved a statistical average of 99.7 percent contaminant removal from the clay zone located within the array and 73 percent from soils heated to 50°C located outside the array. The energy usage during the site demonstration was reportedly 70 kWh per cubic yard, or $4 per ton at $0.07 per kwh (Bergsman et al, 1996).…”