Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for low temperature thermal stripping of volatile organic compounds from soil with non-oxidative cross-sweep gases

US5072674A · kind A · utility

21Cited by
4References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 13, 1990
Grant dateDec 17, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 13, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF23G2201/50
  • WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method and apparatus for removing volatile organic contaminants from soil including removing contaminated soil from the earth; transporting and placing the contaminated soil into a soil hopper, the hopper being substantially sealed from the atmosphere to prevent fugitive emissions of the contaminants from escaping into the atmosphere; conveying the soil under sealed conditions into a heated vapor stripping conveyor having moving flights; conveying the soil under sealed conditions along the vapor stripping conveyor and in close contact with the flights to heat the soil to a temperature below the boiling temperatures of the contaminants, thereby causing moisture in the soil and the contaminants to be stripped from the soil; streaming non-oxidizing gases having a greater than ambient temperature across the surface of the soil to carry the contaminants and moisture across and away from the soil; and maintaining the rate of flow and temperature of the gases to prevent undue surface drying of the soil as the soil passes through the conveyor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.