Energy recuperative soil remediation system

An apparatus for remediating contaminated soil containing short-chain hydrocarbons, long-chain hydrocarbons and/or PCB's, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a rotary drum having
• 1) a first end to operatively receive the contaminated soil to be remediated and discharge the soil after remediation thereof,
• 2) a second end, and
• 3) internal heat exchanger means for transferring thermal energy to the contaminated soil to be remediated from burner means as provided herebelow and from the remediated soil as the contaminated soil being remediated is conveyed from said first end to said second end through an inner compartment of said heat exchanger means and as the remediated soil is conveyed from said second end to said first end through an outer compartment of said heat exchanger means;
• b) burner means for generating sufficient thermal energy, including a stream of hot gases, within said internal heat exchanger means to remediate the contaminated soil contained in said inner compartment and to oxidize the short-chain hydrocarbons, long-chain hydrocarbons and PCB's released from the soil being remediated;
• and
• c) transition means for transferring, to said outer compartment from said inner compartment, said stream of hot gases and said soil being remediated after remediation.

A method of remediating soil contaminated with short-chain hydrocarbons, long-chain hydrocarbons, and/or PCB 's, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing an apparatus including an inclined rotary drum having an input/output end and a reactor end wherein said input/output end is elevated relative to said reactor end, said rotary drum further including:
• 1) sealed feeding means for introducing the contaminated soil into said apparatus,
• 2) a first heat exchanging region having a first inner region and a first outer region wherein said first outer region surrounds and is separated from said first inner region,
• 3) a second heat exchanging region having a second inner region and a second outer region wherein said second outer region surrounds and is separated from said second inner region,
• 4) burner means to remediate the soil by operatively and sufficiently elevating the temperature of the soil contained in said first inner region and said second inner region to vaporize and oxidize the short-chain hydrocarbons, the long-chain hydrocarbons, and/or the PCB's, and
• 5) auger means for conveying the soil that has been remediated by said apparatus through said second outer region and said first outer region in counter-flow relation to contaminated soil being gravitationally urged through said first inner region and said second inner region;
• b) introducing the contaminated soil into said first inner region near said input/output end by said sealed feeding means;
• c) rotating said inclined rotary drum to operatively and gravitationally urge the soil from said input/output end to said reactor end through said first inner region and said second inner region;
• d) generating a stream of hot gases with said burner means to remediate the soil by operatively and sufficiently elevating the temperature of the soil contained in said first inner region and said second inner region to vaporize and oxidize the short-chain hydrocarbons, the long-chain hydrocarbons, and/or the PCB 's, contained in the soil introduced into said first inner region by said sealed feeding means;
• e) transferring the remediated soil and the stream of hot gases to said second outer region at said reactor end of said rotary drum;
• conveying and urging the remediated soil through said second outer region and said first outer region by said auger means and said stream of hot gases:
• 1) to operatively transfer thermal energy from the remediated soil and the stream of hot gases contained in said second outer region and said first outer region to the soil being gravitationally urged through said first inner region and said second inner region,
• 2) to substantially reduce the temperature of the remediated soil and the stream of hot gases prior to discharge thereof from said apparatus, and
• 3) to discharge the remediated soil and the stream of hot gases from said apparatus.