Iit Research Institute

Harsh Dev

Jack E Bridges

Guggilam C Sresty

Richard H Snow

Allen Taflove

Richard Jambor

A method for removing a contaminant from a treatment region of a contaminated region of a site in the earth having water therein and being contaminated with the contaminant includes heating the earth by establishing an electric field through the treatment region. The electric field gives rise to an electric conduction or displacement current through the treatment region. The electric current electrically heats at least a portion of the treatment region to a temperature below the boiling point of water to evaporate the water. A vacuum is drawn in a nether region of the site to collect water vapor evolved from the water and contaminant vapor evolved from the contaminant by movement of air from the surface of the earth, while the water vapor strips the contaminant from the earth. The contaminant vapor is disposed of in an innocuous manner.

Method and apparatus for in situ decontamination of a site contaminated

Ionic contact is established and maintained between electrodes and soil in ohmic heating of a subsurface formation for recovery of volatile and semi-volatile materials, such as hazardous waste, hydrocarbon-like materials, and valuable minerals having thermally responsive properties. A compressed, dry sponge is wrapped around an electrode, which is then inserted into a bore hole. A conductive liquid is added to the bore hole, causing the sponge to swell, creating a stable and substantial interface for the flow of heating currents.

Ionic contact media for electrodes and soil in conduction heating

A water-containing region at or near the surface of the earth, such as a landfill, that is contaminated with hazardous materials is decontaminated by heating the region with bound radio frequency energy from a bound-wave transmission line excitor array disposed outside the region to a temperature to boil water and thereby increase the permeability of the region. The heating is continued by dielectric heating after water has boiled from at least a portion of the region to heat the portion to elevated temperatures substantially above the boiling point of water. The materials may then be rendered innocuous in situ in a number of ways, as by pyrolysis, thermally assisted decomposition, or reaction with an introduced reagent, such as oxygen. The materials may also be driven from the region, as by distillation or by evaporation and steam drive and then collected and disposed of, as by incineration.

In situ decontamination of spills and landfills by radio frequency

A method of electromagnetic heating in situ recovers liquid hydrocarbons from an earth formation containing viscous hydrocarbonaceous liquid and water in an inorganic matrix where the formation is substantially impermeable to fluids under native conditions. A block of the earth formation is substantially uniformly heated with electromagnetic power to a temperature at which the viscous hydrocarbonaceous liquid is relatively fluid and a portion of the water vaporizes to water vapor at a pressure sufficient to overcome the capillary pressure of the liquid in the matrix. Water vapor thereupon escaping from the block under such pressure is recovered with hydrocarbonaceous liquid driven thereby. The magnitude of the electromagnetic power is controlled to limit the current recovery ratio of water vapor to hydrocarbonaceous liquid below a predetermined limit assuring substantial recovery of the hydrocarbonaceous liquid prior to the driving off of substantially all the water.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Harsh Dev