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Thermopile©

 
Thermopile is a sustainable and innovative thermal desorption method which is patent-protected worldwide. It covers a wider range than the classical desorption method with regard to:
  • The range of pollutant concentrations and materials which can be treated. Indeed, Thermopile allows us to treat severely contaminated soil, tar,…

  • On-site intervention configurations. Indeed, Thermopile is especially suited to urban sites and to sites where any excavation may cause stability problems.
Principles:
  • Optimal use of the energy from the organic pollutants contained in the soil to be treated as it is used as a secondary heat source in the desorption process.…

  • The heat produced for and during destruction of the pollutants emanating from the combustion unit is recycled to bring the soil to the required temperature.
Dalkia Thermopile© In-situ Thermopile© In-situ
 

There are two Thermopile configurations available:

Pile configuration :

  
Contaminated soil is put in a container and perforated tubes are inserted. When the installation is in operation, high-temperature gas from the combustion chamber runs through the tubes to heat the soil causing the organic pollutants to evaporate. By convection and diffusion, the now gaseous pollutants are led to the tubes via the side-wall perforations. These pollutants in gaseous form are subsequently sent to the combustion chamber where they are destroyed. Part of the gas emanating from the decontamination chamber is then used to fuel the burner. The machine is equipped with a valve so that small amounts of the decontaminated gas can be released from the system on a regular basis. The container may also be replaced by an insulation-wrapped soil pile.
  Pile configuration  
   

In-situ configuration :

  

With this method, the soil does not have to be excavated.
The thermal desorption is performed In-situ. The system consists of coaxial tubes, positioned directly and vertically into the contaminated soil. The internal tube heats the soil to 250°C causing the thermal desorption of the pollutants. The ensuing gasses end up into the external tube via the side-wall perforations. They are then sent to the oxidizer for oxidization and destruction. The hot gas is re-injected into the system via the internal tubes. This is a quasi-closed system. Once the gas has been cooled and has possibly passed through activated carbon, it is released into the atmosphere under permanent monitoring. The system is placed under continuous monitoring via various thermocouples, placed in the soil and in the gas circuit.

 In-situ configuration