MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF THERMAL CONDUCTION IN SOIL IN PRESENCE OF NON-AQUEOUS PHASE LIQUIDS FOR THE THERMOPILE© PROCESS DESCRIPTION

Thermopile (c), a new polluted soil thermal treatment method, has been patented by Deep Green. The process uses heat by conduction and vacuum in closed gas loops to clean soil polluted by a range of organic compounds. The system comprises a thermal oxidizer with purge, a fan and heating pipes (perforated tubes). To describe the Thermopile (c) process, a one-dimensional multi-component, non-isothermal model has been developed. The system considered is formed with one heating pipe surrounded by soil. The Pendular Rings approach has been used to characterise the residual saturation of NAPL (Non Aqueous Phase Liquid). This model can be used to help us to evaluate the cost and the processing time and to improve the performances of the Thermopile (c) process.