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Title: Heating of solid earthen material, measuring moisture and resistivity

Abstract

The present invention includes a method of treating solid earthen material having volatile, semi-volatile, and non-volatile contaminants. Six electrodes are inserted into a region of earthen material to be treated in a substantially equilateral hexagonal arrangement. Six phases of voltages are applied to corresponding electrodes. The voltages are adjusted within a first range of voltages to create multiple current paths between pairs of the electrodes. The current paths are evenly distributed throughout the region defined by the electrodes and therefore uniformly heat the region. The region of earthen material is heated to a temperature sufficient to substantially remove volatile and semi-volatile contaminants by promoting microbial action. This temperature is less than a melting temperature of the earthen material.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Richland, WA
  2. West Richland, WA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
869389
Patent Number(s):
5330291
Assignee:
Battelle Memorial Institute (Richland, WA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B09 - DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE B09C - RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E02 - HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING E02D - FOUNDATIONS
DOE Contract Number:  
AC06-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
heating; solid; earthen; material; measuring; moisture; resistivity; method; treating; volatile; semi-volatile; non-volatile; contaminants; six; electrodes; inserted; region; treated; substantially; equilateral; hexagonal; arrangement; phases; voltages; applied; corresponding; adjusted; range; create; multiple; current; paths; pairs; distributed; throughout; defined; uniformly; heat; heated; temperature; sufficient; remove; promoting; microbial; action; melting; solid earthen; current paths; substantially remove; remove volatile; region defined; melting temperature; temperature sufficient; earthen material; non-volatile contaminants; distributed throughout; treating solid; measuring moisture; hexagonal arrangement; current path; six electrodes; corresponding electrodes; volatile contaminants; uniformly heat; -volatile contaminants; /405/166/

Citation Formats

Heath, William O, Richardson, Richard L, and Goheen, Steven C. Heating of solid earthen material, measuring moisture and resistivity. United States: N. p., 1994. Web.
Heath, William O, Richardson, Richard L, & Goheen, Steven C. Heating of solid earthen material, measuring moisture and resistivity. United States.
Heath, William O, Richardson, Richard L, and Goheen, Steven C. Sat . "Heating of solid earthen material, measuring moisture and resistivity". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869389.
@article{osti_869389,
title = {Heating of solid earthen material, measuring moisture and resistivity},
author = {Heath, William O and Richardson, Richard L and Goheen, Steven C},
abstractNote = {The present invention includes a method of treating solid earthen material having volatile, semi-volatile, and non-volatile contaminants. Six electrodes are inserted into a region of earthen material to be treated in a substantially equilateral hexagonal arrangement. Six phases of voltages are applied to corresponding electrodes. The voltages are adjusted within a first range of voltages to create multiple current paths between pairs of the electrodes. The current paths are evenly distributed throughout the region defined by the electrodes and therefore uniformly heat the region. The region of earthen material is heated to a temperature sufficient to substantially remove volatile and semi-volatile contaminants by promoting microbial action. This temperature is less than a melting temperature of the earthen material.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}