Shell Oil Comapny

Ziegler Coal Holding Company

Lynton W Dicks

Paul C Johnson

David A Weingaertner

Arnold R Marsden, Jr

Arthur L Otermat

Chih-hsiung F Liu

Timothy S Westby

Thomas G McCord

Harvey B Wilde

A system for in situ decontamination of contaminated soil in a contaminated zone comprising:

Enhanced deep soil vapor extraction process and apparatus utilizing

Coal blends suitable for combustion in a slagging-type combustion apparatus comprise blends of (1) a bituminous coal which forms ash slag having unacceptably high viscosity with (2) a lignitic coal which forms ash slag having marginal viscosity characteristics or T.sub.cv whereupon combustion of the blends results in formation of ash slag having viscosity which is synergistically lowered and acceptable for slagging.

Coal blends having improved ash viscosity

An Enhanced Deep Soil Vapor Extraction Process and Apparatus utilizes heaters placed into the soil at least to the depth of contamination and a vapor/condensate extraction system that withdraws volatilized contaminant vapors from the subsurface and any condensate that collects in the extraction well. Depending on the rate of formation of condensate in the well, a second conduit may be placed inside the well for the collection and removal of condensate by a downhole pump or a suction device located at ground surface. The process is directed towards contaminants trapped in or below the normal groundwater level. Groundwater extraction wells are also employed to create a 'cone of depression', or local draw-down of the groundwater to expose those soils that are normally water saturated and thereby permit decontamination of such soils. Conduits may be placed within the groundwater extraction wells for the purpose of extracting groundwater.

Enhanced deep soil vapor extraction process and apparatus for removing

A heater blanket for use in soil remediation utilizes a rigid construction which isolates the heater elements from air, water, and contaminant vapors which could act to oxidize, embrittle or otherwise degrade the integrity of the electrical heaters. A rigid structural frame is constructed from a support frame of parallel members which are rigidly connected to a series of support tubes perpendicular thereto. The support tubes enclose and protect the heater elements. One or more heater modules thus constructed may be easily transported to a selected site.

Modified heater for in situ soil heating

A soil heater assembly (SHA) utilizes for example, two or more, 5 ft by 10 ft heating sections rigidly bolted together. Each section contains three NICHROME heating elements encased in ceramic beads which are floatingly pinned to a 4-inch thick ceramic fiber insulation encased in NEXTEL cloth. The heating elements run across the entire length and width of the SHA, spaced approximately three inches apart. The heating sections are pinned to their respective 5 ft by 10 ft stainless steel support frame, which is made out of structural angles and flat bars, with pins running through the four-inch ceramic fiber insulation. Since the insulation is somewhat compressible and the pins are slideable therethrough, i.e. not fixed, the heater elements can move or 'float' vertically to accommodate surface irregularities of the soil. Both heating sections and support frames are then positioned side-by-side on the ground, bolted together, and covered by another four inches of fiber insulation. All of the insulation packages are surrounded by NEXTEL or a silica-based cloth for ease of handling and retaining their integrity. The entire assembly may be lifted by a crane and moved to another site, or it may be fitted with wheels and towed.

Heater blanket for in-situ soil heating

A method and apparatus for measuring decreasing thickness of the refractory lining of a high pressure, high temperature, water cooled reactor wall, such as a high pressure gasifier, during aggressive corrosion attack using a pulse-echo ultrasonic probe inserted in the wall, which will corrode at approximately the same rate as the wall of the reactor.

Measuring wall erosion

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus used to determine the heat flux through a portion of a surface of a heat exchanger tube, using heat flux sensor means that is installed on the inner wall of the heat exchanger tube and send a signal to a connected heat flux meter.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Lynton W Dicks