Thermal desorption unit and processes

A thermal desorption process for removing contaminants from contaminated material, said process comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a thermal desorption apparatus comprising:
• a rotating kiln having an entrance port disposed in a front end of said rotating kiln, an exit port disposed in a rear end of said rotating kiln, and a vapor port disposed toward the top of said rotating kiln;
• a quench tube having first and second ends, an interior chamber with at least one spray nozzle disposed within, an inlet disposed in said first end of said quench tube, and an outlet disposed in said second end of said quench tube, wherein said inlet is in communication with the vapor port of the rotating kiln, and wherein at least one spray nozzle is oriented in said interior chamber to face the inlet of said quench tube;
• a water cyclone comprising:
• an outer chamber having a perimeter, a first end, a second end, and at least one water nozzle disposed within,
• an inlet tube disposed in the perimeter of said outer chamber and being in communication with the quench tube outlet,
• a vapor outlet tube disposed in the first end of said water cyclone outer chamber,
• an interior vapor outlet tube connected to said vapor outlet tube and being disposed within said water cylcone outer chamber, and having at least one water nozzle disposed within, said at least one water nozzle oriented to face the second end of said water cyclone outer chamber, and
• a bottom outlet disposed in said second end of said water cyclone outer chamber;
• b) introducing contaminated material into the rotating kiln;
• c) heating the contaminated material inside the rotating kiln to vaporize contaminants and form particulate exit materials;
• d) removing the particulate exit materials from the exit port of the rotating kiln, and removing the vaporized contaminants from the vapor port of the rotating kiln;
• e) adjusting a relative elevation of the front end of said rotating kiln with respect to the rear end of said rotating kiln;
• f) oxidizing the vaporized contaminants to form a gas;
• g) introducing the gas into the inlet of the quench tube and subjecting the gas to a spray of water from the at least one water nozzle disposed in said interior chamber and oriented to face the inlet of said quench tube;
• h) removing the gas from the outlet of the quench tube, introducing the gas into the inlet tube of the water cyclone, and subjecting the gas to a spray of water from the at least one water nozzle located in the outer chamber of the water cyclone;
• i) removing the gas from the vapor outlet tube of the water cylcone, wherein the gas is subjected to a spray of water from the at least one spray nozzle disposed in the interior vapor outlet tube and oriented to face the second end of the water cyclone outer chamber.

A portable thermal desorption process for removing contaminants from contaminated material, said process comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a portable thermal desorption apparatus comprising:
• an elongated cylindrical rotating kiln having an entrance port disposed in a front end of said rotating kiln, an exit port disposed in a rear end of said rotating kiln, a sludge and liquid injection port disposed in the front end of said rotating kiln, a vapor port disposed toward the top of said rotating kiln, stationary paddles affixed to inside walls of said kiln, and one or more flame burners disposed in position to heat the kiln, said elongated rotating kiln forming an angle with a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, wherein a temperature of the flame burners, rotation speed and angle of the kiln are adjustable;
• and
• a trailer for transporting said apparatus;
• b) introducing contaminated material into the rotating kiln;
• c) heating and agitating the contaminated material inside the rotating kiln to vaporize contaminants and form particulate exit materials;
• d) removing the particulate exit materials from the exit port of the rotating kiln, and removing the vaporized contaminants from the vapor port of the rotating kiln;
• e) analyzing the particulate exit materials for the presence of contaminants;
• f) adjusting at least one of a burner temperature, rotation speed or angle of the kiln based on the analysis of the particulate exit materials.

A portable thermal desorption process for removing contaminants from contaminated material, said process comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a portable thermal desorption apparatus comprising:
• a quench tube having first and second ends, an interior chamber with at least one spray nozzle disposed within, an inlet disposed in said first end of said quench tube, and an outlet disposed in said second end of said quench tube, and wherein at least one spray nozzle is oriented in said interior chamber to face the inlet of said quench tube;
• a water cyclone comprising:
• an outer chamber having a perimeter, a first end, a second end, and at least one water nozzle disposed within,
• an inlet tube disposed in the perimeter of said outer chamber and being in communication with the quench tube outlet,
• a vapor outlet tube disposed in the first end of said water cyclone outer chamber,
• an interior vapor outlet tube connected to said vapor outlet tube and being disposed within said water cylcone outer chamber, and having at least one water nozzle disposed within, said at least one water nozzle oriented to face the second end of said water cyclone outer chamber;
• a bottom outlet disposed in said second end of said water cyclone outer chamber, and
• a trailer for transporting said apparatus;
• b) introducing gas formed from the oxidation of vaporized solid or liquid contaminants into the inlet of the quench tube, and subjecting said gas to a spray of water from the at least one water nozzle disposed in said interior chamber and oriented to face the inlet of said quench tube;
• c) removing the gas from the outlet of the quench tube, introducing the gas into the inlet tube of the water cyclone, and subjecting the gas to a spray of water from the at least one water nozzle located in the outer chamber of the water cyclone;
• and
• d) removing the gas from the vapor outlet tube of the water cylcone, wherein the gas is subjected to a spray of water from the at least one spray nozzle disposed in the interior vapor outlet tube and oriented to face the second end of the water cyclone outer chamber.