Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Enhanced Soil Vapor Extraction
EPA Contract Number: 68D03015Title: Enhanced Soil Vapor Extraction
Investigators: Stutman, Mark
Small Business: Compact Membrane Systems Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: April 1, 2003 through September 1, 2003
Project Amount: $70,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2003) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , SBIR - Waste , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
This Phase I research project was conducted to investigate the feasibility of a cost-effective membrane gas separation system for treating extracted soil vapors from soil and groundwater remediation sites. The experimental system, as conceived, would have a lower lifecycle cost than conventional catalytic oxidation or carbon adsorption vapor treatment systems.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Compact Membrane Systems, Inc. (CMS) hypothesized that a high-throughput formulation of CMS-7 fluoropolymer membranes, although not normally used in gas separations, might have adequate performance in treating the vapors from a subset of soil vapor extraction systems treating heavier hydrocarbon spills of heating oils and diesel-grade fuels. The membrane system operates by separating and releasing air in the extracted soil vapors and maintaining volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions below regulatory levels. The concentrated VOC vapors could either be recovered and recycled or oxidized with lower auxiliary fuel cost.
A skid-mounted vapor processor was designed and built to evaluate the performance of various commercial and experimental CMS membrane gas separation cartridges for VOC-air separation. This unit operated as well as expected, and will be helpful in future application development efforts. The hypothesized performance benefits of high-throughput CMS-7 membrane were not observed in field measurements on "weathered" gasoline from an operating soil vapor extraction system, nor on vapors generated by sparging air through fresh diesel fuel.
Conclusions:
CMS-7 high-flow membranes are not adequate for control of VOC emissions to mandated regulatory levels. CMS-3 membranes, already in use for abating emissions of gasoline vapors from underground storage tanks, also are suitable for controlling diesel vapors and heavier petroleum hydrocarbons.
Supplemental Keywords:
vapor processing, soil vapor extraction, SVE, diesel, gasoline, petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, VOC, underground storage tanks, groundwater remediation sites, membrane gas separation, fluoropolymer membranes, small business, SBIR., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Water, Waste, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Analytical Chemistry, Contaminated Sediments, Monitoring/Modeling, Treatment Technologies, Air Pollution Monitoring, Atmospheric Sciences, air toxics, Chemicals, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Monitoring, aerosol particles, air sampling, contaminated sediment, field portable monitoring, soil vapor extraction, atmospheric chemistry, trace gases, emission control, emissions monitoring, chemical composition, monitoring, ambient emissions, field monitoring, compact membrane system, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.