System Design
The term "thermal desorber" describes the primary treatment operation that heats petroleum-contaminated materials and desorbs organic materials into a purge gas. Mechanical design features and process operating conditions vary considerably among the various types of LTTD systems. Desorption units are: available in four configurations:
- Rotary dryer
- Asphalt plant aggregate dryer
- Thermal screw
- Conveyor furnace
Although all LTTD systems use heat to separate (desorb) organic contaminants from the soil matrix, each system has a different configuration with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The decision to use one system over another depends on the nature of the contaminants as well as machine availability, system performance, and economic considerations. System performance may be evaluated on the basis of pilot tests (e.g., test burns) or examination of historical machine performance records. Pilot tests to develop treatment conditions are generally not necessary for petroleum-contaminated soils.
Read more about this topic: Low-temperature Thermal Desorption
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