Method of stripping volatile organic compounds from water using a gas sparged hydrocyclone

A method of stripping volatile organic compound contaminates from water comprising the steps of:

• providing a hydrocyclone unit including:
• a hydrocyclone top;
• a rigid container disposed beneath said hydrocyclone top;
• a sparger in said rigid container;
• a plenum between said rigid container and said sparger;
• a first reservoir beneath said sparger;
• wherein said sparger has an open end in unrestricted fluid communication with said first reservoir;
• a conduit having one end in fluid communication with an upper outlet of said hydrocyclone top and an opposite end in fluid communication with a second reservoir;
• providing a flow of water contaminated with volatile organic compound to said hydrocyclone top and downwardly into said sparger;
• providing a flow of stripping gas to said plenum and into said sparger;
• mixing said stripping gas with the water contaminated with volatile organic compounds in said sparger to provide a volatile organic compound—containing froth and water stripped of volatile organic compounds;
• capturing said volatile organic compound—containing froth from said hydrocyclone unit;
• separating stripping gas from said volatile organic compound—containing froth;
• disposing said stripping gas;
• and
• capturing said water stripped of volatile organic compounds from said sparger.