A process for the remediation of contaminated particulate materials by the addition of an environmentally benign, carbonaceous fuel source in low concentration to enable or enhance smoldering combustion. The process may be applied to both in situ and ex situ treatments. In an ex situ smoldering process for the remediation of contaminated particulate materials in a continuous manner, contaminated feed is introduced near the top of a treatment unit and treated product emerges near the bottom. A smoldering front is maintained in the unit, fed by the fuel in the contaminated particulate material and a supply of combustion-supporting gas, such as air.

A method and system to remediate soil containing PFAS compounds and organic carbon. Total organic carbon is reduced by heating the soil at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient duration to reduce surface effects between the PFAS compounds and the organic carbon to permit evaporation and treatment of the PFAS compounds from the soil.

A method for treating process material using a plurality of autoclaves, wherein each of the plurality of autoclaves cycles through the following: introducing steam from one or more of the plurality of autoclaves into an interior of a vessel; increasing the temperature within the vessel by adding heat to the interior of the vessel using an indirect heat source; reducing the temperature and pressure within the vessel by flashing a portion of the steam within the interior of the vessel to another one of the plurality autoclaves; increasing the temperature within the vessel by continuing to add heat to the interior of the vessel using the indirect heat source; and reducing a moisture content of the process material in the interior of vessel to a predetermined value by venting a remaining portion of the steam to another one of the plurality of autoclaves.

A method for treating process material using a plurality of autoclaves, wherein each of the plurality of autoclaves cycles through the following: introducing steam from one or more of the plurality of autoclaves into an interior of a vessel; increasing the temperature within the vessel by adding heat to the interior of the vessel using an indirect heat source; reducing the temperature and pressure within the vessel by flashing a portion of the steam within the interior of the vessel to another one of the plurality autoclaves; increasing the temperature within the vessel by continuing to add heat to the interior of the vessel using the indirect heat source; and reducing a moisture content of the process material in the interior of vessel to a predetermined value by venting a remaining portion of the steam to another one of the plurality of autoclaves.

Methods are provided for generating or recovering gaseous materials such as hydrogen and solids such as metals through the smoldering combustion of an organic material. The methods include admixing a porous matrix material with an organic material, and, in some embodiments a catalyst, to produce a porous mixture. The mixture is exposed to an oxidant, initiating a self-sustaining smoldering combustion of the mixture, and collecting the vapors and combustion products or processing the porous matrix following combustion to physically separate the porous matrix material from ash containing inorganic materials of value. Additional embodiments aggregate the organic material or catalyst or porous matrix material or mixture thereof in an impoundment such as a reaction vessel, lagoon or matrix pile. Further embodiments utilize at least one heater to initiate combustion and at least one air supply port to supply oxidant to initiate and maintain combustion.

Methods are provided for generating or recovering gaseous materials such as hydrogen and solids such as metals through the smoldering combustion of an organic material. The methods include admixing a porous matrix material with an organic material, and, in some embodiments a catalyst, to produce a porous mixture. The mixture is exposed to an oxidant, initiating a self-sustaining smoldering combustion of the mixture, and collecting the vapors and combustion products or processing the porous matrix following combustion to physically separate the porous matrix material from ash containing inorganic materials of value. Additional embodiments aggregate the organic material or catalyst or porous matrix material or mixture thereof in an impoundment such as a reaction vessel, lagoon or matrix pile. Further embodiments utilize at least one heater to initiate combustion and at least one air supply port to supply oxidant to initiate and maintain combustion.

Disclosed is a method using an environmental-friendly and artificial freezing technique for sealing and displacement of a soil pollutant. The method for displacement of the soil pollutant comprises: performing an artificial freezing technique on an area and depth of a surveyed contaminated site to form a sealed frozen wall along the perimeter of the contaminated site, by using the excellent permeation resistance function of the frozen wall to seal the contaminated site and to prevent the pollutant from spreading further; selecting a freezing temperature of 10 C. to 30 C. according to characteristics of the freezing temperature and precipitation rate of the pollutant, by controlling the freezing rate to 1 cm/day to 10 cm/day, and performing freezing displacement of the soil pollutant from outside to inside using a principle of freezing purification, to concentrate the pollutant; and subjecting the remaining high concentration of contaminated soil to chemical treatment.

Disclosed is a method using an environmental-friendly and artificial freezing technique for sealing and displacement of a soil pollutant. The method for displacement of the soil pollutant comprises: performing an artificial freezing technique on an area and depth of a surveyed contaminated site to form a sealed frozen wall along the perimeter of the contaminated site, by using the excellent permeation resistance function of the frozen wall to seal the contaminated site and to prevent the pollutant from spreading further; selecting a freezing temperature of 10 C. to 30 C. according to characteristics of the freezing temperature and precipitation rate of the pollutant, by controlling the freezing rate to 1 cm/day to 10 cm/day, and performing freezing displacement of the soil pollutant from outside to inside using a principle of freezing purification, to concentrate the pollutant; and subjecting the remaining high concentration of contaminated soil to chemical treatment.

An energy-saving in-situ steam thermal desorption process for remediating pesticide contaminated sites comprises S1, determining a contaminated layer; S2, primary steam injection; S3, secondary steam injection and regulator injection; wherein the regulator comprises the following components in parts by weight: 0.2-0.8 parts by weight of hyper-thermophilic microbial agent, 0.5-0.9 parts by weight of carbamyl phosphate, 2-3 parts by weight of cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, 3-4 parts by weight of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, 15-17 parts by weight of wort, and 5-6 parts by weight of sodium octadecyl sulfate; S4, tertiary steam injection; S5, conservation. The method for remediating pesticide chemical contaminated sites using the thermal desorption technology combines the in-situ steam thermal desorption technology with hyper-thermophilic microorganisms, the hyper-thermophilic microorganisms have good adaptability to high-temperature environment, good thermal stability and high-temperature catalytic activity, and the remediation effect on soil can be greatly improved by combining the microorganisms with hot steam.

An energy-saving in-situ steam thermal desorption process for remediating pesticide contaminated sites comprises S1, determining a contaminated layer; S2, primary steam injection; S3, secondary steam injection and regulator injection; wherein the regulator comprises the following components in parts by weight: 0.2-0.8 parts by weight of hyper-thermophilic microbial agent, 0.5-0.9 parts by weight of carbamyl phosphate, 2-3 parts by weight of cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, 3-4 parts by weight of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, 15-17 parts by weight of wort, and 5-6 parts by weight of sodium octadecyl sulfate; S4, tertiary steam injection; S5, conservation. The method for remediating pesticide chemical contaminated sites using the thermal desorption technology combines the in-situ steam thermal desorption technology with hyper-thermophilic microorganisms, the hyper-thermophilic microorganisms have good adaptability to high-temperature environment, good thermal stability and high-temperature catalytic activity, and the remediation effect on soil can be greatly improved by combining the microorganisms with hot steam.