Apparatus and method for thermally stripping volatile organic compounds from soil
OwnerRichard A. Crosby, Junior L. Crosbyinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for removing volatile organic compounds from soil in order to comply with environmental regulations. The apparatus is comprised of a rotating drum in which the contaminated soil is loaded. The drum contains an auger mechanism which aerates the soil. An air heater generates hot air which is directed to the drum and circulates there-through, causing rapid volatilization of the volatile organic compounds. The volatile organic compounds are then expelled to atmosphere. The removal of volatile organic compounds is conducted in a batch fashion, loading and unloading the drum following each processing cycle. The apparatus is mobile and may be transported to any clean up site.
Claims36
An apparatus for removing volatile organic compounds from soil comprising:
- (a) an air heater for heating ambient air,
- (b) a drum for holding a predetermined quantity of said soil, said drum having an opening, said opening forming both an inlet airflow path for directing said ambient air heated by said air heater into said drum and a discharge airflow path for directing said ambient air from said drum, said opening being divided into first and second portions, said first portion of said opening forming said inlet airflow path into said drum, said second portion of said opening forming said discharge airflow path from said drum, and
- (c) means for mechanically aerating said soil, said aerating means disposed in said drum.
An apparatus for removing volatile organic compounds from soil comprising:
- (a) a drum for holding a predetermined quantity of said soil,
- (b) an auger mechanism disposed in said drum, said auger mechanism having means for grinding and churning said soil when said auger mechanism is rotated in a first direction and means for transporting said soil out of said drum when said auger mechanism is rotated in a second direction, and
- (c) an air heater, said air heater in airflow communication with said drum.
A method for removing volatile organic compounds from soil comprising the steps of:
- (a) loading said soil into an opening in a drum,
- (b) transporting said soil into said drum by rotating said drum in a first direction,
- (c) mechanically aerating said soil in said drum,
- (d) causing hot air to flow through said aerating soil, thereby volatilizing said volatile organic compounds into said hot air,
- (e) exhausting said hot air out of said drum after said hot air has flowed through said drum, and
- (f) discharging said soil from said drum through said opening by rotating said drum in a second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.