Method and apparatus for thermal remediation of contaminant impacted media with hybrid energy systems

A method for heating a contaminant impacted media for remediation of the contaminant impacted media, the method comprising:

• 1. identifying a volume of the contaminant impacted media;
• 2. providing a hybrid energy thermal remediation system for remediating the volume of the contaminant impacted media;
• wherein, the hybrid energy thermal remediation system comprises:
• an external electrical energy source;
• one or more energy co-generation assembly housings;
• one or more energy co-generation assemblies;
• one or more media heating assemblies;
• one or more media heating assembly devices;
• one or more combustion air discharge chamber-thermoelectric generation assemblies;
• one or more galvanized steel spiral combustion air discharge chamber conduits;
• one or more centralized combustion air blowers;
• one or more centralized combustion air discharge stacks;
• a combustible fuel supply;
• a combustible fuel distribution conveyance network;
• a grid-based electrical energy supply;
• a potable water source;
• a water deionization device;
• a hydrogen generating electrolyzer system;
• a centralized fuel blending unit;
• one or more centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes;
• one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices;
• a centralized electrical energy storage device;
• one or more auxiliary photovoltaic solar panels;
• one or more electrical energy distribution cables;
• and
• one or more programmable logic controllers;
• wherein, each of the one or more energy co-generation assemblies comprises:
• a secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution device of the one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices;
• a weatherproof fuel combustor enclosure;
• a controllable primary combustion air aperture disposed within the weatherproof fuel combustor enclosure;
• a fuel combustor;
• one or more energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduits wherein each of the one or more energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduits includes a proximal end and a distal end;
• a battery;
• and
• a series of indicator lights for displaying a status of the energy co-generation assembly;
• wherein the fuel combustor is fluidly connected to an energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the one or more energy co-generation assembly housings by way of a double flanged top connector;
• wherein the energy co-generation assembly housing of each of the one or more energy co-generation assembly housings comprises:
• an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall securing the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber;
• one or more combustion air diffusers disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the energy co-generation assembly housing;
• a burner nozzle;
• a fuel igniter;
• one or more heat tubes integrated with one or more heat tube combustion air diffusers;
• one or more heat exchangers;
• three apertures, the three apertures comprises:
• a top aperture;
• an induced air aperture;
• and
• a bottom aperture;
• wherein the top aperture is disposed at a proximal end of the energy co-generation assembly housing providing a fluid connection to the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber allowing the one or more energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduits, the burner nozzle, and the fuel ignitor to extend through an upper portion of the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber;
• wherein the induced air aperture is disposed in an upper side portion of the energy co-generation assembly housing fluidly connected to the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber;
• wherein the bottom aperture is disposed at a distal end of the energy co-generation assembly housing and is connected to a media heating assembly device of the one of the one or more media heating assembly devices such that the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing is fluidly connected to an inner combustion air conduit of the media heating assembly devices of the one or more media heating assemblies by way of a flanged collar;
• wherein each of the energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduits of the one or more energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduits is positioned congruent to a corresponding heat tube of the one or more heat tubes being terminated at a single rim in a lower portion of the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber;
• one or more heat shielding components;
• wherein the one or more heat shielding components comprises:
• refractory materials applied to an angled lower portion of the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber;
• one or more refractory cement conduit seals anchored by one or more cast in-place anchoring bolts located at an upper proximal end of the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing;
• one or more combustion air diffusers affixed to the inner peripheral wall of the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of each of the one or more energy co-generation assembly housings;
• one or more integrated thermoelectric generation devices;
• wherein an integrated thermoelectric generation device of each of the one or more integrated thermoelectric generation devices comprises:
• one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units including a hot side and a cold side to generate electrical energy;
• wherein each of the one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units comprises:
• a stack of semiconductor-based thermocouples;
• wherein the stack of semiconductor-based thermocouples comprises:
• an alternating series of +N− semiconductor materials and −P+ semiconductor materials each joined electrically to one or more hot side electrodes and to one or more cold side electrodes;
• wherein the one or more hot side electrodes insulated by an electric insulator being disposed between the stack of semiconductor-based thermocouples and a thermally conductive high temperature compatible material disposed on a corresponding energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduit of the one or more energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduits;
• whereby the hot side of the integrated thermoelectric generation device is formed proximate to the corresponding energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduit;
• wherein the thermally conductive high temperature material being disposed between the electrical insulator and the corresponding energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduit, wherein the energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduit being disposed congruent to the corresponding heat tube of the one or more heat tubes;
• wherein the cold side electrodes are insulated by the electric insulator being disposed between the stack of semiconductor-based thermocouples and an operationally connected heat exchanger of the one or more heat exchangers;
• whereby the cold side of the integrated thermoelectric generation device is formed proximate to the operationally connected heat exchangers of the one or more heat exchangers;
• wherein a thermally conductive low temperature compatible material is disposed between the one or more cold side electrodes associated with the stack of semiconductor-based thermocouples and the operationally connected heat exchanger whereby the cold side of the integrated thermoelectric generation device is formed proximate to the operationally connected heat exchangers;
• wherein the media heating assembly device of each of the one or more media heating assembly devices comprises:
• a flanged collar connector cap;
• the inner combustion air conduit configured with an inner combustion air conduit inlet portal and an inner combustion air conduit outlet portal;
• an outer thermally conductive heating conduit;
• a combustion air discharge conduit fluidly connected to a combustion air exhaust aperture located on a proximal end of the outer thermally conductive heating conduit;
• one or more electrically resistive heating units;
• one or more combustion air deflectors disposed between the inner combustion air conduit outlet portal of the media heating assembly device and a proximal edge of the electrically resistive heating unit of the media heating assembly device;
• a heat tolerant electrically conductive low resistivity electrical cable and connections;
• an annulus space;
• a heat tolerant thermally conductive annulus fill;
• one or more external temperature monitoring thermocouples located within the heat tolerant thermally conductive annulus fill of the annulus space;
• a weatherproof electrical connection box electrically operationally configured with electric connections to the one or more electrically resistive heating units and the one or more programmable logic controllers;
• 3. producing a cylindrical opening within the volume of the contaminant impacted media, having the cylindrical opening extending a length of at least 1.00 foot beyond a length of each of the one or more media heating assembly devices;
• 4. installing the media heating assembly device of the one or more media heating assembly devices within the cylindrical opening;
• 5. positioning the one or more external temperature monitoring thermocouples within the annulus space between the outer thermally conductive heating conduit and the contaminant impacted media;
• 6. sealing the annulus space with the heat tolerant thermally conductive annulus fill thereby securing the outer thermally conductive heating conduit thereby preventing hot vapors formed along exterior walls of the outer thermally conductive heating conduit during a heating process from exiting the volume of the contaminant impacted media;
• 7. positioning the one or more electrically resistive heating units and the heat tolerant electrically conductive low resistivity electrical cable and connections within the annulus space existing between the inner combustion air conduit and the outer thermally conductive heating conduit such that the one or more electrically resistive heating units are occupying a maximum of 20% of the annulus space at any given interval of length;
• 8. fluidly connecting the media heating assembly device of the one or more media heating assembly devices to the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing by way of the flanged collar and the flanged collar connector cap such that the flanged collar connector cap seals a proximal end of the outer thermally conductive heating conduit from the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing contemporaneously providing a fluid connection between the inner combustion air conduit and the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing;
• 9. connecting the one or more electrically resistive heating units located within the media heating assembly device of the one or more media heating assembly devices to a corresponding electrical connection and a corresponding programmable logic controller of the one or more programmable logic controllers housed within the weatherproof electrical connection box thereby actuating the distribution of electrical energy from an electrically operationally connected energy co-generation assembly of the one or more energy co-generation assemblies to the one or more electrically resistive heating units;
• 10. managing electrical energy distribution by way of the corresponding programmable logic controller to temperature setpoints and temperature readings from the one or more external temperature monitoring thermocouple placed within the heat tolerant thermally conductive annulus fill encasing the media heating assembly device;
• 11. introducing combustible fuel from the combustible fuel supply into the fuel combustor of the energy co-generation assembly wherein the fuel combustor is fluidly connected to the inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing of the integrated thermoelectric generation device;
• 12. igniting the combustible fuel with the fuel ignitor causing a combustion reaction producing fuel combustion heating providing a sustained source of heat energy and combustion byproducts being introduced into the identified volume of contaminant impacted media;
• 13. generating an induced draft flow by way of a centralized combustion air blower of the one or more centralized combustion air blowers being fluidly connected to the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing of the integrated thermoelectric generation device of the one or more integrated thermoelectric generation devices of the one or more energy co-generation assemblies thereby moving the heat energy through the energy co-generation assembly through each of the one or more energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduits and each of the one or more heat tubes such that the heat energy and the combustion byproducts within the energy co-generation assembly combustion air conduits create a hot side on each of the one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units within the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber of the energy co-generation assembly housing of each of the one or more integrated thermoelectric generation devices;
• 14. dissipating heat energy away from the hot side of the one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units creating a cold side of each of the one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units causing causes a heat energy delta across the one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units forcing a diffusion of electric carriers towards the cold side of the one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units creating a voltage potential such that the voltage potential causing the one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units to generate electrical energy;
• 15. introducing the heat energy and combustion byproducts from the fuel combustor to the inner combustion air conduit inlet portal of the inner combustion air conduit of the media heating assembly device pulled by way of the induced draft flow of the centralized combustion air blower of the one or more centralized combustion air blowers through the inner-combustion air conduit outlet portal of the inner combustion air conduit and upward through the outer thermally conductive heating conduit exiting the combustion air exhaust aperture and through the combustion air discharge conduit such that the heat energy and combustion byproducts transfer heat energy to an exterior surface of the outer thermally conductive heating conduit by way of convective heat transfer, wherein when the temperature of the outer thermally conductive heating conduit increases heat energy is transferred by convective heat transfer to the volume of the contaminant impacted media;
• 16. augmenting the fuel combustion heating by distributing electrical energy generated within the energy generated within the energy co-generation assembly of the one or more energy co-generation assemblies to the one or more electrically resistive heating units such that temperatures of the one or more electrically resistive heating units resists a flow of direct current (DC);
• wherein the electrical energy generated by the integrated thermoelectric generation devices is dump or diversion loaded as direct current (DC) from the one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices directly into the one or more electrically resistive heating units such that the temperature of the one or more electrically resistive heating units increases to a range of 100 to 1200 degrees centigrade as the one or more electrically resistive heating units resist the flow of direct current providing supplemental heat energy at discrete intervals along a length of the outer thermally conductive heating conduit;
• 17. transferring heat and co-generated electrical energy from the outer thermally conductive heating conduit through to the heat tolerant thermally conductive annulus fill of the annulus space and through the volume of the contaminant impacted media by way of thermal conduction thereby causing reduction of contaminants within the volume of the contaminant impacted media and affecting remediation of the volume of the contaminant impacted media thereby providing a remediated impacted media;
• 18. providing the combustion air discharge chamber-thermoelectric generation assembly of the one or more combustion air discharge chamber-thermoelectric generation assemblies;
• 19. positioning the combustion air discharge chamber-thermoelectric generation assembly between the energy co-generation assembly and the centralized combustion air blower;
• 20. utilizing a portion of abeyant heat energy flowing through the combustion air discharge chamber-thermoelectric generation assembly prior to expelling the portion of the abeyant heat energy into the external atmosphere by way of the one or more centralized combustion air discharge stacks;
• wherein each of the one or more combustion air discharge chamber-thermoelectric generation assemblies comprises:
• a combustion air discharge chamber having a rectangular shape;
• a plurality of externally mounted thermoelectric generation devices;
• a finned heat-sink for creating a cold side of a thermoelectric generation module;
• a ventilated enclosure with one or more air circulation fans to remove heat from the finned heat-sink;
• wherein the combustion air discharge chamber is constructed with thermally conductive temperature compatible metal, the combustion air discharge chamber including a galvanized steel spiral combustion air discharge chamber conduit of the one or more galvanized steel spiral combustion air discharge chamber conduits having an influent end and an effluent end, the galvanized steel spiral combustion air discharge chamber conduit passing longitudinally through the center of the combustion air discharge chamber;
• wherein, the influent end of the galvanized steel spiral combustion air discharge chamber conduit is fluidly connected to any one of the one or more centralized combustion air blowers and the effluent end is fluidly connected to the energy co-generation assembly housing inner chamber within the energy co-generation assembly housing of the any one of the one or more energy co-generation assemblies;
• wherein the plurality of externally mounted thermoelectric generation devices being consecutively adhered on at least one side of the combustion air discharge chamber providing a heat source for a hot side of the combustion air discharge chamber;
• wherein the plurality of externally mounted thermoelectric generation devices consecutively adhered comprises a hot side heat transfer material, the thermoelectric generation module, and a cold side heat transfer material, generating increased level of electricity as the temperature delta between the hot side and the cold side of the combustion air discharge chamber and the thermoelectric generation modules increases;
• 21. providing the one or more electrical energy distribution cables delivering a two-way transfer of the electrical energy among a plurality of ex situ components;
• wherein the plurality of ex situ components comprises:
• the grid-based electrical energy supply;
• the centralized electrical energy storage device;
• the one or more centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes;
• and
• the one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution device located on a weatherproof fuel combustion enclosure housing;
• 22. transferring electrical energy from the one or more combustion air discharge chamber-thermoelectric generation assemblies to the one or more centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes;
• 23. transferring electrical energy from the one or more energy co-generation assemblies and from the one or more auxiliary photovoltaic solar panels to the one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices;
• 24. providing a plurality of electrical energy transfers to the hybrid energy thermal remediation system;
• wherein the plurality of the electrical energy transfers comprises:
• an electrical energy transfer from the grid-based electrical energy supply to the centralized electrical energy storage device fully energizing the centralized electrical energy storage device;
• an electric energy transfer from the centralized electrical energy storage device to the centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution box of the one or more centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes;
• an electric energy transfer from the centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution box to the secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices of the one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices;
• an electric energy transfer from the centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution box to the water deionization device;
• an electric energy transfer from the centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes to the hydrogen generating electrolyzer system;
• an electric energy transfer from the centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes to the centralized combustion air blower of the one or more centralized combustion air blowers;
• 25. determining periods of time characterized with low levels of the electrical energy for operation of the hybrid energy thermal remediation system, and determining periods of time characterized with surplus levels of the electrical energy for the operation of the hybrid energy thermal remediation system;
• 26. providing a plurality of reverse energy transfers to the hybrid energy thermal remediation system;
• wherein the plurality of reverse energy transfers includes:
• a reverse energy transfer from the one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices to the centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes;
• a reverse energy transfer from the centralized primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes to the centralized electrical energy storage device;
• and
• a reverse energy transfer from the centralized electrical energy storage device onto the grid-based electric energy supply;
• 27. converting a predetermined quantity of the heat energy from the fuel combustor to electrical energy by way of the one or more sealed thermoelectric generation units of the energy co-generation assembly and the thermoelectric generation modules of the one or more combustion air discharge chamber-thermoelectric generation assemblies;
• 28. storing and conditioning the electrical energy in the centralized electrical energy storage device, the one or more primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes, and the one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices;
• 29. returning excess electrical energy from the one or more secondary electrical energy conditioning and distribution devices to the one or more primary electrical energy conditioning and distribution boxes and to the electrical energy grid at the grid-based electric energy supply;
• and
• 30. removing the hybrid energy thermal remediation system from the remediated impacted media.