Treating of solid earthen material and a method for measuring moisture content and resistivity of solid earthen material

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:869493

Heath, William ^[1]; Richardson, Richard ^[1]; Goheen, Steven ^[1]

---

1. Richland, WA

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. This temperature is less than a melting temperature of the earthen material. The voltages are then increased to a second range of voltages effective to create dry regions around the electrodes. The dry regions have a perimeter which define a boundary between the dry regions and the earthen material exterior to the dry regions. Corona discharge occurs at the boundaries of the dry regions. As voltages are increased further, the dry regions move radially outward from the electrodes through the entire region. The corona boundaries decompose the non-volatilized contaminants remaining in the region. The hexagonal arrangement of electrodes is also preferable for measuring resistivity and moisture content of the earthen material. The electric field created between the electrodes is readily discernable and therefore facilitates accurate measurements.

• Research Organization: Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• Assignee: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs (Richland, WA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5347070
• OSTI ID: 869493
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

treating
solid
earthen
material
method
measuring
moisture
content
resistivity
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
melting
increased
effective
dry
regions
perimeter
define
boundary
exterior
corona
discharge
occurs
boundaries
move
radially
outward
entire
decompose
non-volatilized
remaining
preferable
electric
field
created
readily
discernable
facilitates
accurate
measurements
accurate measurements
solid earthen
current paths
corona discharge
substantially remove
remove volatile
region defined
moisture content
melting temperature
electric field
temperature sufficient
earthen material
radially outward
non-volatile contaminants
accurate measurement
distributed throughout
treating solid
measuring moisture
move radially
field created
discharge occurs
hexagonal arrangement
current path
six electrodes
measuring resistivity
corresponding electrodes
volatile contaminants
uniformly heat
accurate measure
rate measurements
-volatile contaminants
/588/405/