Apparatus and method for thermally stripping volatile organic compounds from soil using a recirculating combustible gas

An apparatus for removing volatile organic compounds from soil, comprising:

• a) a drum for holding a predetermined quantity of said soil;
• b) gas transporting means, in flow communication with said drum, for directing a hot gas into said drum and for discharging said hot gas from said drum and for recirculating said discharged gas back into said drum;
• c) 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, thereby volatilizing said volatile organic compounds and entraining particles of said soil into said hot gas directed into said drum, and means for transporting said soil out of said drum when said auger mechanism is rotated in a second direction;
• and
• d) means, in flow communication with said gas transporting means, for removing particles from said gas discharging from said drum.