Technology Needs

Most DOE sites and many indus-
trial sites have been contaminated with VOCs, including chlorinated solvents like TCE and PCE, non-
chlorinated solvents like methyl, ethyl ketone (MEK), benzene and acetone, and fuels like gasoline. Techniques for retrieving these VOCs from soils are being devel-
oped and demonstrated. The va-
pors recovered by these techni-
ques must, in most cases, be treat-
ed (collected or destroyed) prior to releasing the cleaned soil offgas to the atmosphere. The High-Energy Corona is one of a number of approaches DOE is testing to effect this removal or destruction.

Accomplishments

This technology has successfully demonstrated 99% destruction of TCE at inlet concentrations to 2000 ppmv, and flow rates up to 5 scfm. This was accomplished without generating detectable chlorinated organic byproducts, phosgene and ozone, and with total NOx around1 ppm. A number of configurations and flows were tested to deter-
mine the optimum operating con-
ditions. Energy costs were demon-
strated to be low, typically less than 7 kW-hr/lb TCE destroyed. This technology won the presti-
gious R&D 100 award in 1993.