Development of a thermally enhanced in-situ remediation technology for low permeable soils (THERIS)

Remediation experiments on thermally enhanced soil vapour extraction proved that heating of humid soil by thermal wells up to temperatures above 170°C and remediation of semi-volatile compounds is possible. The achievement of this final goal had been anticipated as a consequence of the successful experiments on heat- and mass transfer in porous media on small scale in recent years.

In parallel to the experimental works, the governing processes where investigated with the numerical simulator MUFTE to transfer the results to different soil types and scales. The results showed that it was only partly possible to apply the knowledge from small-scale experiments to the more complex situation of three-dimensional flow at field sites to be remediated. The gap was filled by three-dimensional experimental works on technical scale in one of the large tanks of the VEGAS facility and appropriate numerical modeling.

In this study, the conclusions of both technical scale experiments on heat transport and remediation efficiency and numerical investigations are presented and discussed. After finishing this research work, for the first time clear statements on the potentialities and limitations of the thermal well technique can be made. The in situ remediation technology is ready to be applied in pilot studies to transfer this technology to the market.

Koschitzky, Hans-Peter

Winkler, Angela
Theurer, Tilman
Hiester, Uwe

VEGAS

From: 2001-08-01

To: 2003-09-30

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)