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SUMMARY:Self-Sustaining Smouldering Combustion: A New Technique for the Re
 mediation of Organic Industrial Liquids in Porous Media
DTSTART:20110404T161500
DTSTAMP:20260415T010931Z
UID:95358f596cfdd999418c469f631a59f60829cac2ffebf0ea5cd61db7
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Jason GERHARD\; University of Western Ontario (CA)\nSelf
 -sustaining smoldering combustion is an innovative approach for clean-up o
 f sites contaminated with nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs).  This approach
  offers significant potential\, in particular\, for the in situ destructio
 n of some of the most recalcitrant organic compounds\, such as coal tar an
 d heavy petroleum hydrocarbons\, for which clean-up options are currently 
 limited and very costly.  \n\nSmoldering is the flameless combustion of a 
 liquid or solid fuel that derives heat from surface oxidation reactions\; 
 smoldering of charcoal in a barbeque is a typical example.  This research 
 was the first to demonstrate that NAPL embedded in a porous medium may be 
 effectively destroyed via smoldering combustion. The technique has the pot
 ential to provide a cost effective and technically efficient remedy due to
  a number of key properties: (1) the process requires only a short duratio
 n energy input (i.e.\, ignition) at a single location to initiate the reac
 tion\; (2) the process is then self-sustaining\, such that the reaction pr
 opagates itself through the NAPL source zone without additional energy inp
 ut\, (3) the process is self-targeting\, such that the reaction naturally 
 tracks through the subsurface NAPL pathways\, (4) the process is self-term
 inating\, such that the reaction naturally ceases when no NAPL remains\, a
 nd (5) the process avoids injecting costly fluids or conveying NAPL or con
 taminated groundwater to the surface for treatment.  \n\nThis presentation
  will illustrate the scientific principles behind this remediation concept
 \, and summarize the six years of research that has been conducted to date
 .  The results of experiments from proof-of-concept to bench scale to ex s
 itu prototype reactor will be outlined.  The presentation also covers the 
 design and results of the first in situ field pilot study conducted at a f
 ormer cresol manufacturing facility in New Jersey\, USA.  Finally\, the pr
 esentation will outline the development of a numerical model to simulate t
 he smouldering process at the field scale.  Technology transfer to enable 
 field implementation of the process is being facilitated via collaboration
  with a remediation vendor: SiREM\, who is developing the technology under
  the name Self-Sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR\; http://
 star.siremlab.com).
LOCATION:GR B3 30
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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