FI127691B - Method for the treatment of contaminated soil - Google Patents

Description

Method for treating contaminated soil material

Area

The invention relates to a method for treating contaminated soil material.

Background

Soil can be polluted, for example, by oil hydrocarbons entering the ground, which can cause damage to health, biota and groundwater, among other things. Harmful substances can end up in the soil from, for example, repair shops, fuel distribution points or industry.

Soil can be rehabilitated by insulation or stabilization. In these methods, petroleum hydrocarbons remain in the soil but are prevented from spreading. However, this is not a sufficient measure in the long run as isolation and stabilization can fail. An isolated or stabilized area also cannot be utilized.

The soil material can be thermally treated, in which case the soil is purified by pyrolysis. The heating and / or incineration of the soil carried out in this way consumes a large amount of energy and fuel and produces potential combustion waste, which is a resource-intensive and also polluting activity.

The soil can also be cleaned by wet separation and washing, which also consumes energy. In this case, the harmful substances are transferred to a liquid, which, however, must be treated in a separate process using, for example, thermal treatment. For this reason, wet separation does not solve the problem of soil cleaning.

In addition, the soil material can be purified by biological methods, in which case a substance containing microorganisms is added to the soil. However, a substance containing micro-organisms can only treat the very topsoil, leaving the petroleum hydrocarbons deeper in the soil intact. The success of microorganisms in soil is also uncertain.

Especially in a frozen country, the use of a biological method is challenging.

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In addition, the biological process is slow and usually takes up to many years even under good conditions. It is often not possible to reach below the target minimum limit values. The reason may be that the microbes die due to lack of food and / or oxygen.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,293 discloses a method and apparatus for remediating contaminated soil. WO 2008009052 discloses soil remediation by treating the soil with a surfactant followed by an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon. Pynnönen, T .: Alternative 10 Rehabilitation Methods for Contaminated Land in a Leather Factory Property, Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Thesis, Spring 2008, pages 28 - 20, discusses methods for rehabilitating contaminated soil. CN 102463254 discloses a new electrokinetic amplified technology and method for biologically rehabilitating soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic carbohydrate. CN 105396871 discloses a high efficiency synergistic remediation method for carbohydrate contaminated soil. Patent publication NO 971734 discloses a method for cleaning a contaminated pulp. JP H1157684 discloses a method for treating oil contaminated soil. Patent publication KR 20100019030 discloses an apparatus and method for cleaning contaminated sand.

U.S. Pat. No. 2005,106,702 discloses a surfactant biocatalyst for the recovery of stubborn organic matter and heavy metals. U.S. Pat. U.S. Patent No. 5,236,282 discloses a universal method and apparatus for treating contaminated materials, U.S. Patent No. RU 2322219 discloses a compound 30 for cleaning soil from oil contamination.

20165328 prh 16-11-2018 presented method to revive soil and land contaminated with oil and oil product.

Therefore, there is a need to develop the treatment of contaminated soil.

Short description

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved solution. This is achieved by the method according to claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

The method according to the invention achieves several advantages.

Soil cleaning is more efficient and faster.

List of figures

The invention will now be described in more detail in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows an example of an apparatus suitable for treating soil material;

Fig. 2A shows an example of an apparatus comprising different dispensers, a mixer and possibly also a processing device based on an electrokinetic phenomenon;

Fig. 2B shows an example of a cylinder with a nozzle for injecting a substance containing microorganisms into the cylinder;

Figure 3 shows an example of screening;

Fig. 4 shows an example of a controller comprising at least one processor and at least one memory; and Figure 5 shows an example of a flow chart of the method.

Description of Embodiments

The following embodiments are exemplary. Although the description may refer to one “embodiment or embodiments in different places, this does not necessarily mean that each such reference is to the same embodiment.

20165328 prh 16-11-2018 or embodiments, or that the feature applies to only one embodiment. The individual features of the various embodiments may also be combined to enable other embodiments.

Figure 1 shows an example of an apparatus suitable for treating contaminated soil material. The apparatus comprises a mixer 100 which receives oil 110 contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. Petroleum hydrocarbons are complex mixtures comprising crude oil or crude oil refining products. Hydrocarbons contain hydrocarbons of various lengths and possibly also organic and inorganic compounds. Hydrocarbons, in turn, can be divided into different fractions in oil refining. The most fluid and low-temperature fractions (e.g., motor gasoline) behave differently from middle distillate fractions (e.g., diesel oil) or heavier fractions (e.g., fuel oil) in terms of soil absorption and chemical and biological effects. The behavior of middle distillate fractions and heavy fractions in soil 15 also differs. This has made it difficult to clean the soil material in the prior art.

The apparatus further comprises a first dispenser 102 which dispenses the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 into the mixer 100. The hydrocarbon absorbent 112 is decomposable. In one embodiment, the absorbency of the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 may be based on a capillary effect. In one embodiment, the petroleum hydrocarbon absorbent 112 may be porous. In one embodiment, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 may be biodegradable. In one embodiment, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 may be non-toxic. Non-toxicity means that the absorbent 112 of the hydrocarbons does not pose a danger or harm to humans or animals. Non-toxicity means that the hydrocarbon-absorbing substance 112 does not pose a danger or harm to human or animal health. Non-toxicity can also mean that the hydrocarbon-absorbing substance 112 does not pose a danger or harm to any life form. In one embodiment, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 may be non-combustible.

In one embodiment, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 absorbs

20165328 prh 16-11-2018 also water. In one embodiment, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 may be, for example, ORS-Sorb® Special. In one embodiment, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 may be, for example, ORS-Sorb® Agri. ORS-Sorb® can be administered as a grit, block, mat or pillow.

In tests, it has been found that, for example, the ORS-Soilsorb käytetty used in one embodiment, which is modified for soil remediation and is a product for this method, is a material that allows long-term microbial function and efficient and rapid microbial activity. This may be due to the fact that microbes have a good availability of 10 nutrients, and the water-binding capacity and oxygen content of Ors-Soilsorb auttaa helps the microbial function.

The apparatus further comprises a second dispenser 104 that dispenses the microorganism-containing agent 114 into the mixer 100. In one embodiment, the microorganism-containing agent 114 contains microbes that do not cause disease. In one embodiment, the microorganism-containing agent 114 may contain one or more biological activators, each of which may be non-toxic. In one embodiment, each biological activator may degrade hydrocarbons, oils, fats, and / or organic molecules. In one embodiment, each biological activator can decompose hydrocarbons, oils, fats, and / or organic molecules into carbon dioxide and water. In one embodiment, each biological activator may be an enzyme. In one embodiment, the microorganism-containing agent 114 may have a pH of about 7, i.e., neutral. In one embodiment, the microorganism-containing agent 114 may be non-corrosive. In one embodiment, the microorganism-containing material 114 may be non-combustible. In one embodiment, the microorganism-containing substance 114 may be biodegradable when present in the soil. In one embodiment, the microorganism-containing agent 114 may be a KEEEN ™ Oil Spill Control agent.

The mixer 100 comminutes and aerates the soil material 110 and mixes 30 the hydrocarbon absorbing material 112 and the soil material 110 with each other.

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In addition, the mixer 100 mixes the soil material 110, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112, and the microorganism-containing material 114 with each other to at least partially purify the soil material 110 of the hydrocarbons. In one embodiment, mixer 100 mixes the contaminated soil material 110, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112, and the microorganism-containing material 114 into a homogeneous mass. Mixing can be performed so that at the end of the mixing, the large particles do not disintegrate into a predetermined size. In one embodiment, the final result of the mixing may be powdery, with a particle size of about 100 or less. In one embodiment, the final result of the mixing may be granular, in which case the particle size may be about 0.1 mm to 3 mm. In one embodiment, the result of the mixing may be particulate, with a particle size of about 3 mm or greater. In one embodiment, fine crushing may be used in the mixing, whereby the particle size may be about 100 mm to 10 mm. In one embodiment, coarse grinding may be used in the mixing, in which case the particle size may be about 10 mm to 1 mm. In one embodiment, fine grinding may be used in the mixing, whereby the particle size may be about 1 mm to 100.

Thus, the mechanical process in the mixer 100 may be grinding and / or crushing. In addition, the mixer 100 can granulate the mass it mixes.

In the mixer 100, the particle size may change, but the state of matter of the substance does not change. By mixing, the reactive surface area of the substances to be mixed increases, which improves the purification of the soil material by means of the hydrocarbon-absorbing substance 112 and the microorganism-containing substance 114. Namely, the hydrocarbons 25 are effectively removed from the contaminated soil material 110 to the hydrocarbon-absorbing material 112, from which the microorganisms of the microorganism-containing material 114 are able to use the hydrocarbons efficiently as nutrients and convert them into a harmless form.

In one embodiment, one example of which is shown in Figure 2A, the agitator 100 may comprise a cylinder 200, and the cylinder 200 may have a rotating shaft 202 with agitator blades 204. Contaminated soil material 110 and petroleum hydrocarbons

The absorbent 112 is mixed with agitator blades 204 in the cylinder 200. The agitator 100 may also comprise a belt conveyor 206. The second dispenser 104 may dispense the microorganism-containing material 114 onto a mixture on top of the belt conveyor 206 comprising soil material 110 and petroleum hydrocarbons itself. material 112. When the belt conveyor 206 drops a mixture of soil material 110, petroleum hydrocarbon absorbing material 112, and microorganism-containing material 114 onto substrate 208 in a pile 210, the microorganism-containing material 114 also mixes effectively with soil material 110 and petroleum hydrocarbon absorbing material 112. The agitator blades 204 and drop also increase the amount of oxygen in the pile 210, which facilitates the purification process. In the embodiment of Figure 2A, the second belt conveyor 212 may also be part of the mixer 100, because the oil hydrocarbon absorbent 112 is dropped from the first dispenser 102 into the soil material 110 already on the second belt conveyor 212. Mixing is also possible when the order is reversed, i.e. when the soil material 110 is dropped into the oil hydrocarbon absorbing material 112 already on the second belt conveyor 212. In this way, the mixture is brought into a suitable shape for a possible electrokinetic phenomenon.

Additionally or alternatively, the agitator 100 may be vibrated at least in part to enhance agitation. For example, the belt conveyor 206 can be vibrated, whereby the microorganism-containing material 114 mixes well with the soil material 110 and the petroleum hydrocarbon absorbing material 112. In one embodiment, the reciprocating direction of movement of the vibration may be, for example, vertical. In one embodiment, the reciprocating direction of movement of the vibration may be, for example, horizontal. In one embodiment, the reciprocating direction of vibration may be varied. In one embodiment, the amplitude of the reciprocating motion of the vibration may be, for example, less than 10 mm. In one embodiment, the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the vibration may be, for example, between 1 Hz and 1000 Hz.

In one embodiment, exemplified by Figure 2A, the apparatus may comprise an electrokinetic processing device 120 that can process

20165328 prh 16-11-2018 of a soil material 110 mixed with said oil hydrocarbon absorbing substance 112 and said microorganism-containing substance 114. In an electrokinetic phenomenon, the substances move with an electric current. In the electrokinetic phenomenon, substances can be moved, for example, in porous substances and liquid-containing substances. The electrokinetic processing device can be based, for example, on EKO / GR1D ™ technology, which has been developed and manufactured by a company called Eko Harden Technologies Oy.

In one embodiment, the electrokinetic process device 120 oxidizes the soil material 110 mixed with said petroleum hydrocarbon absorbent 112 and said microorganism-containing material 114.

The soil material 110 can be oxidized by other means in addition to or instead of the electrokinetic process device 120 and / or mechanical agitation. Other means may include, for example, mechanical means of mixing, poring, or making air ducts in the heap 210.

In one embodiment, the apparatus also includes a third dispenser 116, shown in Figure 1. The third dispenser 116 dispenses agricultural slurry 118 into a mixer 100 that mixes agricultural slurry 118, soil material 110, petroleum hydrocarbon absorbent 112, and microorganism-containing material 114. Agricultural sludge 118 may contain, for example, livestock manure. Agricultural sludge 118 may contain nutrients for microorganisms, which enhances the activity of microorganisms and thus improves the purification of soil material 110 from petroleum hydrocarbons while consuming agricultural sludge.

In one embodiment, the second dispenser 104 comprises at least one nozzle 220 capable of injecting the microorganism-containing liquid substance 114 into the soil material 110, the petroleum hydrocarbon absorbing material 112, or a mixture of the soil material 110 and the petroleum hydrocarbon absorbing material 114. In one embodiment, one or more nozzles 220 may spray the microorganism-containing liquid material 114 onto the sleeve conveyor 206.

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In one embodiment, exemplified by Figure 2B, one or more nozzles 220 may inject microorganism-containing liquid material 114 in cylinder 200 into soil material 110, petroleum hydrocarbon absorbing material 112, or a mixture of soil material 110 and petroleum hydrocarbon absorbing material 114.

In one embodiment, also shown in Figure 2B, the mixer 100 may comprise a drum grinder in which grinding can be performed in a horizontally rotating cylindrical mill.

In one embodiment, at least one nozzle 1020 of the second dispenser 104 may inject microorganism-containing liquid material 114 in nebulized form into soil 110, petroleum hydrocarbon absorbent 112, or a mixture of soil material 110 and petroleum hydrocarbon absorbent 112. In one embodiment, it is also possible that the soil material 110 into which the liquid substance 114 containing microorganisms is injected contains agricultural slurry 118.

In one embodiment, exemplified by Figure 3, the apparatus comprises a screening device 300 adapted to screen out of the soil material 110 entering the mixer 100 larger particles of predetermined force having a crushing force greater than the force used by the mixer 100 to grind. In the screening device 300, the excess does not pass through the screen. Alite passes the screening device 300 and proceeds to the mixer 100.

In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a measuring device 108, shown in Figure 1, for measuring the oxygen content of the soil material 110. The measuring device 108 may signal the measured oxygen concentration information to the first dispenser 102 and / or the second dispenser 104. The first dispenser 102 may then dispense the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 to the mixer 100 based on the oxygen concentration information measured by the measuring device 108. In one embodiment, the second dispenser 104 may alternatively or additionally dispense the microorganism-containing material 114 into the mixer 100 based on the measurement of the measuring device 108.

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In one embodiment, the measuring device 108 may also measure the amount of soil material 110 fed to the mixer 100 as a function of time, which facilitates control of the first and second dispensers 102, 104. However, the measurement of the amount of soil material 110 is not necessarily necessary, because the supply of soil material 110 to the mixer can be predetermined and thus the amount of soil material 110 is known and available without measurement. The oxygen concentration information of the measuring device 108 and / or the soil material quantity information can also be used to control the third dispenser 116 to dispense a suitable dose of agricultural slurry into the mixer 100.

In one embodiment, the measuring device 108 may measure soil material

110 nutrient content. In one embodiment, the nutrient content measurement may be based on a pH measurement, but the nutrient content measurement is not limited to this. The first dispenser 102 may then dispense the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 into the mixer 100. Additionally or alternatively, the second dispenser 104 may dispense the microorganism-containing material 114 into the mixer 100 based on the measurement of the measuring device 108. Also in this embodiment, the nutrient content information of the measuring device 108 can also be used to control the third dispenser 116 to dispense a suitable dose of agricultural slurry into the mixer 100.

In one embodiment, exemplified by Figure 4, the apparatus comprises, for controlling the apparatus, at least one processor 400 and at least one memory 402 operatively interconnected. At least one memory 402 contains computer program code. At least one processor 400 and at least one memory 402 as well as a controller comprising these may be part of a measuring device 108. Said at least one memory 402 together with said at least one processor 400 and computer program code is adapted to control: a first dispenser 102 dispensing hydrocarbon absorbent 112 to a mixer 100; which is rotting; a mixer 100 for comminuting and aerating the soil material 110; a mixer 100 for mixing the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 and the soil 110; a second dispenser 104 for dispensing microorganisms

20165328 prh 16-11-2018 substance 114 to mixer 100; and a mixer 100 for mixing the soil material 110, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 and the microorganism-containing material 114.

With the solution presented above, which has proven to work in tests and measurements, soil cleaning is more efficient, faster and the desired minimum limit values are achieved. The final product can be used in the construction of infrastructure. In many cases, logistics costs also drop significantly, and cleaning can be done locally.

Figure 5 shows an example of flow charts of a method 10 for treating soil material. In step 500, the hydrocarbon-contaminated soil material 110 is received by the mixer 100. In step 502, the first dispenser 102 dispenses the hydrocarbon-absorbing material 112 into the mixer 100, which is decomposable. In step 504, the soil material 110 is comminuted and aerated by a mixer 100. In step 506, the oil hydrocarbon absorbent 112 and the soil material 110 are mixed with a mixer 100.

In step 508, the second dispenser 104 dispenses the microorganism-containing material 114 into the mixer 100. In step 510, the mixer 100 mixes the soil material 110, the hydrocarbon absorbent 112 and the microorganism-containing material 114 with each other to at least partially purify the soil material 110.

The method shown in Figures 5 can be implemented as a logic circuit solution or a computer program. A computer program may be placed on a computer program distribution medium for distribution. The computer program distribution means is readable by a data processing device and can encode computer program instructions to control the operation of the measuring device.

The distribution means, in turn, may be a solution known per se for distributing a computer program, for example a data device readable media, a program storage medium, a data device readable memory, a data device readable software distribution package or a data device readable compressed software package. In some cases, if permitted by law and / or regulations, the distribution medium may be a data device readable signal or a data device readable communication signal.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to the examples according to the accompanying drawings, it is clear that the invention is not limited thereto, but can be modified in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (9)

claim Method for treating contaminated soil material, characterized in that with a mixer (100) (500) soil material (110) contaminated by oil hydrocarbons is received; dosed (502) with a first dispenser (102) to the mixer (100) an agent (112) which absorbs oil hydrocarbons and which is decomposed; aerated and atomized and / or crushed (504) the soil material (110) with the mixer (100); mixed (506) with the mixer (100) the agent (112) which absorbs the hydrocarbons and the soil material (110) in between; dosed (508) with a second dosing device (104) an agent (114) containing microorganisms in the mixer (100); and mixed (510) with the mixer (100) the soil material (110), the agent (112) which absorbs oil hydrocarbons, and the agent (114) containing microorganisms among themselves to purify the soil material (110) from the oil hydrocarbons at least partially. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that it is processed with an electrokinetic process device (120) the soil material (110) into which said means (112) which absorb oil hydrocarbons and said means (114) containing microorganisms have been mixed. Method according to claim 2, characterized by being oxidized with an electrokinetic process device (120) the soil material (110), in which said agent (112) which absorbs oil hydrocarbons and said agent (114) containing microorganisms has been mixed. Method according to claim 1, characterized by dosing with a third dispenser (116) agricultural sludge (118) in the mixer (100), which mixes the agricultural sludge (118), the soil material (110), the oil hydrocarbon absorbent and the agent (112). 114) containing microorganisms among themselves. 20165328 prh 16-11-2018 Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one nozzle (220) is sprayed in the second dispenser (104) the liquid agent (114) containing microorganisms in the soil material (110), in the substance (112) which absorbs oil hydrocarbons or in the mixture of soil material (110) and substance (114) which absorbs hydrocarbons. 6. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that, with a sieving device (300), sieve is removed from the soil material (110) which goes to the mixer (100) particles of solids larger than a predetermined size and which are required to be crushed. a greater force than the force used by the mixer (100) for atomization. Process according to Claim 1, characterized in that the measuring device (108) measures the oxygen content of the soil material (110); and dosed with the first dispenser (102) blank (112) which absorbs oil hydrocarbons in the blender (100) and / or dosed with the second dispenser (104) blank (114) containing microorganisms in the blender (100) based on the measuring device (108) measurement. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the nutrient content of the soil material (110) is measured with the measuring device (108); and dosed with the first dispenser (102) blank (112) which absorbs oil hydrocarbons in the blender (100) and / or dosed with the second dispenser (104) blank (114) containing microorganisms in the blender (100) based on the measuring device (108) measurement. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one memory (402) together with at least one processor (400) is arranged to execute the phases in method 1 according to a computer program code stored in said at least one memory (402).