The volume reduction unit (VRU) is a pilot-scale, mobile soil washing system designed to remove organic contaminants and metals from soil through particle size separation and solubilization. The VRU can process 100 pounds of soil (dry weight) per hour.
The process subsystems consist of soil handling and conveying, soil washing and coarse screening, fine particle separation, flocculation-clarification, water treatment, and utilities. The VRU is controlled and monitored with conventional industrial process instrumentation and hardware.
The VRU can treat soils that contain organics such as creosote, pentachlorophenol (PCP), pesticides, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), volatile organic compounds, and semivolatile organic compounds. The VRU also removes metals.
The VRU was accepted into the SITE Demonstration Program in summer 1992. The demonstration was conducted in November 1992 at the former Escambia Treating Company in Pensacola, Florida. The facility used PCP and creosote PAHs to treat wood products from 1943 to 1982. The Applications Analysis Report (EPA/540/AR-93/508) is available from EPA.
During the demonstration, the VRU operated at a feed rate of approximately
100 pounds per hour and a wash water-to-feed ratio of about six to one. The
following physical wash water conditions were created by varying the surfactant,
pH, and temperature:
The table below summarizes the analytical data.
EPA PROJECT MANAGER:
Teri Richardson
U.S. EPA
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268
513-569-7949
Fax: 513-569-7105
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPER CONTACT:
Richard Griffiths
U.S. EPA
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Center Hill Facility
5595 Center Hill Road
Cincinnati, OH 45224
513-569-7832
Fax: 513-569-7879