Apparatus for removing hydrocarbon contaminants from solid materials

An apparatus for removing hydrocarbon contaminants from solid materials comprising:

• a containment vessel sized to receive a mixture therein comprising a supply of solid material combined with at least one hydrocarbon contaminant composition and a solvent designed to remove said hydrocarbon contaminant composition from said solid material;
• a washing chamber operatively connected to said containment vessel, said washing chamber comprising at least one screen member therein, said screen member being sized to receive said mixture thereon from said containment vessel, said washing chamber further comprising first water delivery means therein positioned above said screen member for delivering a supply of washing water onto said screen member and said mixture thereon in order to produce a purified solid product which remains on said screen member and a drainage product which passes through said screen member, said drainage product comprising said washing water, said solvent with said hydrocarbon contaminant composition dissolved therein, and finely-divided portions of said solid material small enough to pass through said screen member;
• first separating means in fluid communication with said washing chamber for separating said drainage product into a first fraction and a second fraction, said first fraction comprising said solvent with said hydrocarbon contaminant composition dissolved therein, and said second fraction comprising said washing water and said finely-divided portions of said solid material which passed through said screen member;
• second separating means in fluid communication with said first separating means for separating said first fraction into a third fraction and a fourth faction, said third fraction comprising said solvent with said hydrocarbon contaminant composition dissolved therein, and said fourth fraction comprising any residual water and residual solid material which remained in said first fraction after said separating of said drainage product into said first fraction and said second fraction;
• third separating means in fluid communication with said first separating means and said second separating means for receiving a combination of said second fraction and said fourth fraction therefrom and separating said combination into a fifth fraction and a sixth fraction, said fifth fraction comprising said washing water from said second fraction and said residual water from said fourth fraction which combine to produce a supply of recycled water, with said sixth fraction comprising said finely-divided portions of said solid material from said second fraction and said residual solid material from said fourth fraction;
• first conduit means connected to and between said third separating means and said washing chamber for transferring said fifth fraction from said third separating means to said washing chamber for use therein;
• fourth separating means in fluid communication with said second separating means for separating said third fraction into a seventh fraction and an eighth fraction, said seventh fraction comprising a supply of recovered solvent, and said eighth fraction comprising said hydrocarbon contaminant composition;
• and
• second conduit means connected to and between said fourth separating means and said containment vessel for transferring said seventh fraction from said fourth separating means to said containment vessel for use therein.