Geosafe in situ vitrification site demonstration
- Geosafe Corp., Richland, WA (United States)
This abstract presents the results of the EPA SITE Program Demonstration that was conducted on Geosafe Corporation`s In Situ Vitrification (ISV) technology at the Parson Chemical/ETM Enterprises Superfund Site in Grand Ledge, Michigan. The significance of the demonstration results are also related to other Geosafe project experience and the current state of the ISV technology. The ISV technology is a joule-heated electric melting technology that treats contaminated soil and other earthen materials (e.g., sediment, sludge, flyash, mill tailings) for the primary purposes of destroying, removing, or immobilizing hazardous, radioactive, and mixed contaminants. ISV may be applied to materials in their original location within the ground, or to materials placed in a specific location or container, below grade or above grade, for purposes of treatment. A melt is typically initiated at the surface of the material to be treated. Joule healing occurs as electric current flows through the molten material, thus causing the melt to increase in temperature and adjacent material to melt. Typical melt temperatures range from 1,600 to 1,800{degrees}C. Single Melts as large as 1,400 tons and exceeding 20-ft in depth have been achieved. Adjacent melts fuse together to form a single contiguous monolith. Contaminants may be destroyed, immobilized, and/or removed during ISV. The high temperature typically destroys organics by pyrolysis. The predominant disposition of heavy metals is chemical or physical incorporation within the resulting vitreous monolith, which produces a permanent immobilization result. Some vaporizable contaminants may be removed by the process heat without undergoing destruction or immobilization. The specific disposition that may be expected for contaminants at a given site depends on many waste and site-specific variables. Off-gas treatment is employed to treat and/or remove vaporized contaminants and to ensure gases evolved from the process are safe for release.
- OSTI ID:
- 111484
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9504110-; TRN: 95:021647
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 21. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annual Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory research symposium, Cincinnati, OH (United States), 4-6 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of 21st Annual RREL research symposium: Abstract proceedings; PB: 398 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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