Cement-Lock ~(~R) technology for oil, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals contaminated waste materials

摘要

The Cement-Lock~(~R) Technology, an innovative thermo-chemical remediation technology, was developed by the Gas Technology Institute and its subsidiary ENDESCO Services, Inc. with the support and financial backing of the U.S. oil and gas industry as well as federal and state environmental agencies. The technology provides a total solution for waste handling, treatment, and disposal. In the process, contaminated waste materials and inexpensive modifiers are fed to a reactive melter operating under oxidizing conditions. During processing all the organic contaminants are completely destroyed and converted to innocuous carbon dioxide and water. Chlorine and sulfur compounds are sequestered and heavy metals are locked within the molten matrix to completely immobilize them. During the thermo-chemical transformation, the melt is imparted with latent cementitious properties that allow it to be converted into construction-grade cement, which has properties similar to those of portland cement. The heat energy generated by the process can be easily recovered and converted into steam and/or electricity as needed. Also, the technology is a net consumer of water; no wastewater is generated by the plant. The technology is capable of simultaneously processing several types of waste materials produced from oil production and petroleum refining facilities. These wastes include, but are not limited to, tanker bottom and reservoir oil sludges, contaminated soils, drilling mud and cuttings, cleaning and drilling chemicals, metal and concrete waste materials, and spent catalysts. This paper describes the development of the Cement-Lock Technology from laboratory testing to the current large-scale demonstration program, and its application to oil, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals contaminated waste materials.