Method and apparatus for destroying organic contaminants in aqueous liquids

Patent · 21 September 1993

OSTI ID:5441480

Donaldson, T L; Wilson, J H

A method and apparatus for destroying organic contaminants, such as trichloroethylene, in aqueous liquids, such as groundwater, utilizing steam stripping integrated with biodegradation. The contaminated aqueous liquid is fed into a steam stripper causing the volatilization of essentially all of the organic contaminants and a portion of the aqueous liquid. The majority of the aqueous liquid is discharged from the steam stripper. The volatilized vapors are then condensed to the liquid phase and introduced into a bioreactor. The bioreactor contains methanotrophic microorganisms which convert the organic contaminants into mainly carbon dioxide. The effluent from the bioreactor is then recycled back to the steam stripper for further processing. 2 figures.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5246584; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-920961
• OSTI ID: 5441480
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIODEGRADATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CLEANING
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
DESIGN
GROUND WATER
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
STEAM STRIPPING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WATER
WATER TREATMENT