Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
1-31-1991
Degree Name
Master of Science in Environmental Science - (M.S.)
Department
Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science
First Advisor
Su Ling Cheng
Second Advisor
Paul C. Chan
Third Advisor
Leonard Dauerman
Abstract
A new method by employing the heating probe for the in-situ cleanup of soils that are contaminated with volatile organic hazardous substances is explored. This investigation is a laboratory simulation that was aimed to evaluate the feasibility of desorption of volatile organic compoumds (VOCs) from soil, and to determine the efficiency of the heating probe for maximum desorption.
Two organic compounds, Trichloroethylene, Carbon tetrachloride, were selected as simulants. The experimental results demonstrate that the removal efficiency range from 97.65% to >99.95% of Trichloroethylene and 98.14% to >99.95% of Carbon tetrachloride can be recovered for a 24 hour interval with a probe temperature of 500°C. In addition, significant thermal gradients of contaminated soil have been found in a laboratory bed reactor. Due to thermal resistance of soil, this study was limited to VOCs contaminants whose boiling point is below 110°C.
Furthermore, one of the attractive features of this process is that the use of air as the heat source with portable furnace is very simple and inexpensive. It is shown that the in-situ thermal desorption is indeed a feasible and economical alternative for the treatment technologies of contaminated soils.
Recommended Citation
Sung, Hsi-Ming, "Thermal desorption of contaminated soils" (1991). Theses. 2632.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/2632
