With environmental protection receiving increasing attention today, soil pollution has become a global focus, especially the pollution caused by petroleum products. As an effective soil purification method, low-temperature thermal desorption (LTTD) technology is being widely used in underground pollution cleanup. The core of this technology is to use thermal energy to separate petroleum hydrocarbons from the soil, thereby achieving the purpose of purification.
Low Temperature Thermal Desorption (LTTD) is an external environmental remediation technology that physically separates petroleum hydrocarbons from excavated soil by heating. Although it is not designed to decompose organic matter, it can be combined with the desorption system according to the specific conditions of the organic matter. temperature to partially or completely decompose.
LTTD systems are mainly divided into two categories: fixed facilities and mobile units. These devices heat the soil to a sufficient temperature to release petroleum hydrocarbons. Different climatic conditions and soil characteristics can affect its operating efficiency, especially soil moisture and particle size, which directly affect the effectiveness of the desorption process.
Most desorption equipment operates between 300°F and 1,000°F. Different types of soil may require different pretreatments during the desorption process, such as coarse sand may need to be crushed, while high clay soil may need to be shredded.
This technology is highly effective in reducing the concentration of petroleum products, particularly gasoline, diesel, heating oil, etc. Through small-scale pretreatment tests, its applicability and economy in specific locations can be effectively determined, laying the foundation for large-scale application.
Various LTTD systems may be subject to different laws and regulations, including operating permits and monitoring requirements. The unique characteristics of each site will influence whether LTTD becomes a practical restoration option.
Economic factors are particularly important when choosing LTTD as a restoration option. The cost per unit of soil treated, the location of the recovered soil, and its impacts all need to be considered in LTTD compared with other remediation methods. In some cases, existing use of the soil itself may also result in prolonged business disruptions and increased financial burdens.
Depending on the use of LTTD systems in different regions, it is sometimes necessary to transport contaminated soil to other areas, which involves additional costs and environmental impacts.
Different types of LTTD systems have their own advantages and disadvantages, such as rotary dryers, hot spirals, conveyor ovens, etc. In order to select the most appropriate system, small-scale experiments are carried out, if necessary, to confirm its processing capacity and efficiency. Operational design includes air pollution control, which is an important part of operating LTTD equipment.
SummaryThe performance of the thermal desorption system is affected by many factors, such as the size of soil particles, the temperature of the environment, and the moisture of the soil. These will affect the cost and efficiency of the desorption process.
Low-temperature thermal desorption technology (LTTD) undoubtedly provides an effective way to restore the soil environment. With the further development and application of technology, can we find more optimized soil remediation solutions in the future to combat increasingly severe environmental challenges?