Methods for the formation and operation of an in situ process reactor

A process for the conversion of a hazardous waste disposal site to an in situ process reactor and operating same to remediate the site comprising the steps of:

• a) establishing an essentially impervious contaminant containment wall around the site;
• b) placing a liner forming material inside of said wall on the bottom of said site to form an essentially impervious bottom contaminant containment liner in said site which extends to said containment wall while simultaneously excavating and processing contaminated soil excavated from said site at a location above the surface of said site and returning the processed soil into said site above said bottom liner;
• c) placing a network of perforated feed conduits and a network of perforated contaminant removal conduits in said reactor, said contaminant removal conduits leading to a contaminant removal location in said reactor;
• d) forming an essentially impervious contaminant containment barrier on top of said site whereby said wall, bottom liner and top barrier completely enclose the contaminated soil in said site thereby converting said site to a self contained reactor;
• e) operating said reactor to volatilize volatile contaminants therein;
• f) moving a fluid stream containing volatiolized contaminants to said collection location in said reactor;
• and
• g) removing said fluid stream of volatized contaminants from said collection location.