Apparatus and method for the removal of higher and lower volatility organic contaminants from soil

Abstract

An apparatus for the removal of higher and lower volatility organic contaminants from media such as soil including an externally heated screw conveyor having an inlet, an outlet and one or more solid core flights, means for collecting and delivering media contaminated with higher and lower volatility organic contaminants to the screw conveyor inlet, at least one infrared radiation source external to the screw conveyor adapted to heat the media in the screw conveyor to a temperature above which at least one of the contaminants volatilize, and means for venting volatilized contaminants from the screw conveyor. A continuous process for removing higher and lower volatility organic contaminants from media such as soil including the steps of providing a source of contaminated media, agitating, manipulating and transporting the contaminated media by use of at least one screw conveyor having one or more solid core flights, heating simultaneously the contaminated media with a quantity of infrared radiation sufficient to volatilize at least one of the organic contaminants as the contaminated media is agitated, manipulated and transported by the at least one solid core screw conveyor, so that the organic contaminants are volatilized and the media is decontaminated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.