A Department of Defense (DoD) remedial action investigation and feasibility study was conducted using the internal combustion engine (ICE) soil vapor extraction (SVE) technology to evaluate its effectiveness at remediating gasoline-contaminated soils present on site. Remediation Service, International (RSI), under contract, conducted the treatability study from August 2001 to May 2002.
An RSI Model V4 (dual-engine) ICE SVE system was used. Initial influent soil gas concentrations being treated by the system were approximately 74,000 parts per million by volume (ppmV) of total volatile hydrocarbons (TVH). The TVH mass removal rates ranged from 508 to 647 pounds per day (lb/day), averaging 595 lb/day. An overall total of approximately 119,595 pounds of TVH (or approx. 20,000 gallons, assuming 6 lb/gallon for gasoline) was removed and treated during the study period. The ICE’s destruction removal efficiency (DRE) averaged greater than 99.5 percent. Radius of influence (ROI) testing showed both a vacuum response and soil gas TVH reductions up to 300 feet from the extraction well.
Since ICE technology uses 100% of the Btu value from the contaminants as its primary fuel source, approximate supplemental fuel costs were only $0.042/lb destroyed. The total costs for air abatement were approximately $0.59/lb destroyed, including equipment, laboratory and O&M costs.
Based on the positive results from the study, two additional dual-engine ICE SVE systems (3 total) were approved in 2005 as the final remedy for effectively remediating the vadose zone (unsaturated) soils at the 350,000 sq. ft. (8 acres) site.
Phone: (805) 644-8382
Fax: (805) 644-8378
E-mail: rsi@rsi-save.com
Web: www.rsi-save.com
