Solar-driven self-sustaining remediation of petroleum-contaminated soil

• Published in: Solar energy 2024-09, Vol.279, p.112810, Article 112810
• Main Authors: Trujillo, Corey M., Segal, Daniel C., Lam, Carl W., Ning, Joe, Linden, Karl G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Concentrated solar power; Petroleum waste; Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR); Solar treatment of contaminated soil; Sustainable remediation
• ISSN: 0038-092X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2024.112810

[Display omitted] •Concentrated-solar powered thermal remediation of petroleum-contaminated soils.•Ignition of petroleum-contaminated soil is achievable with concentrated solar power.•Steel thermal receivers transmit concentrated solar energy to samples effectively.•Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) analysis demonstrates effective treatment. Petroleum-contaminated soil poses an environmental risk and is costly to remediate. Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) is an emerging remediation technique that consists of igniting and propagating a smoldering front through a volume of contaminated soil. While effective, the electrical energy demand required to initiate smoldering can be cost-prohibitive in locations without robust electrical infrastructure. To address this, we investigated the viability of a novel concentrated solar power process as a low-carbon alternative to electrically driven heating for STAR. The solar-driven system uses parabolic reflectors to focus solar energy, then directs it through fiber optic bundles to flexibly transmit it to a soil column. This process is demonstrated on ∼ 750 mL samples of petroleum-contaminated soil and detectable hydrocarbons were reduced in each case. Research evaluated several parameters of interest for effective treatment including thermal receiver material and distance between solar output and thermal receiver. Temperature was measured throughout treatment and typically exceeds 400 °C prior to ignition. Steel and quartz thermal receivers show effective temperature distribution, initiating smoldering, reducing detectable hydrocarbons and maintaining durability. The results indicate that concentrated solar power can efficiently ignite smoldering remediation, showing promise as a low-carbon alternative to current methods.