In-Situ Soil Remediation via Thermal Conductive Heating and Chemical Oxidation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current in-situ remediation technologies for organically contaminated soils have a low pollutant removal rate, limiting the effectiveness and sustainability of soil remediation processes.

Innovation Solution

A method combining in-situ thermal conductive heating, multi-phase extraction, and in-situ chemical oxidation using a cycle of hot steam injection and oxidizing agents, specifically hydrogen peroxide and persulfate, to enhance pollutant removal, with multiple rounds of injection and controlled temperature and concentration management to optimize oxidation and reduce energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If in-situ remediation technology is used, then investment cost is reduced and secondary contamination is avoided, but pollutant removal rate is low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecondary contaminationVSAvoidpollutant removal rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines thermal conductive heating, steam injection, and chemical oxidation into a multi-technology coupling system. The heating component activates the oxidizing agents while steam injection enhances mass transfer, creating a synergistic effect that achieves high pollutant removal rates without ex-situ treatment and secondary contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes temperature as a key parameter, heating the contaminated soil to activate oxidizing agents and enhance reaction rates. By controlling temperature parameters, the system achieves effective pollutant degradation in-situ while maintaining process efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional in-situ remediation is used, then investment is low, but pollutant removal rate is low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinvestment costVSAvoidpollutant removal rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple remediation technologies (thermal heating, steam injection, chemical oxidation) into an integrated in-situ system. This combination achieves high pollutant removal rates while maintaining the cost advantages of in-situ treatment by avoiding expensive ex-situ remediation infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces steam as an intermediary medium that facilitates heat transfer and enhances mass transfer of oxidizing agents into the contaminated soil. This intermediary approach improves pollutant removal efficiency without requiring direct high-cost intervention methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If multiple cycles of oxidizing agent injection are performed, then pollutant removal rate increases, but energy consumption and oxidizing agent usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepollutant removal rateVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic cycles of steam injection followed by oxidizing agent injection. This periodic action allows the system to achieve thorough pollutant removal through multiple treatment cycles while managing energy and chemical usage efficiently by resetting and reactivating the treatment process in controlled intervals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes steam phase transitions (liquid to gas and back) as a thermal field to activate oxidizing agents and enhance mass transfer. This phase transition mechanism improves pollutant removal efficiency without requiring proportional increases in energy input, as the latent heat of vaporization provides intensive heating during phase change.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method significantly increases pollutant removal rates, reduces energy consumption, and minimizes oxidizing agent usage, achieving a 50% cost savings and 1/3 to 1/5 reduction in overall energy consumption compared to traditional methods, while ensuring environmental sustainability and avoiding secondary contamination.

Implementation Method 1

preheating the soil at a contaminated site by using in-situ thermal conductive heating (TCH) technology

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

performing a cycle of injecting hot steam

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Implementation Method 3

injecting hot steam, multi-phase extraction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

injecting an oxidizing agent into the soil at the contaminated site... the oxidizing agent includes a hydrogen peroxide solution and persulfate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentUS20240359223A1Method for in-SITU remediation of contaminated soil through multi-technology coupling
Publication Date: 2024.10.31 BCEG ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION CO LTD

AI summary

The present invention provides a method for in-situ remediation of contaminated soil through multi-technology coupling. The remediation method comprises the following steps: preheating the soil at a contaminated site by using in-situ thermal conductive heating (TCH) technology, and then performing multi-phase extraction; and performing a cycle of injecting hot steam, multi-phase extraction, and injecting an oxidizing agent into the soil at the contaminated site. A system for in-situ remediation of an organically contaminated soil based on the aforementioned method for in-situ remediation of the organically contaminated soil includes a heating well, an injection well, and an extraction well. The heating well is connected to an in-situ thermal conductive heating system, and used for preheating of the soil at the contaminated site. The injection well is connected to an in-situ injection system, and used for injecting the hot steam and the oxidizing agent. The extraction well is connected to a vacuum extraction system, and used for the multi-phase extraction of the contaminated site. In the present disclosure, a pollutant removal rate of the organically contaminated soil is greatly increased by means of a combination of multiple technologies coupled together.