HYDROPHOBIZING CONDITIONING AGENT, PROCESS FOR PREPARING TREATED LIME AND METHOD OF TREATING SOIL CONTAMINATED BY HYDROCARBONS

摘要

A method is provided for the treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil by chemical hydrolysis and/or oxidation of the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. The method includes using lime which has been conditioned with a novel hydrophobizing agent. The novel hydrophobizing agent comprises a liquid blend of a specified mixture of liquid fatty acids having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms and a specified mixture of glycerides of fatty acids having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms. The conditioned lime is blended with physically-preconditioned, i.e. having a maximum grain size of 5 cm, moist, hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, the blending providing a degree of dispersion at least near microscopic level. A charge of the blended conditioned lime/soil is conveyed to an enclosed, inclined reaction vessel, where hydration of the lime is carried out. The heat of the hydration reaction is retained within the vessel, so that hydrolysis of the fatty acid conditioner and/or hydrocarbon contaminants in the soil is effected. Air or oxygen-enriched air is substantially-simultaneously introduced into the reaction vessel together with steam and/or water as required by the chemical reactions, thereby to effect a flameless, intermediate-temperature oxidation of the hydrocarbons or their hydrolyzed degradation products. Decontaminated soil product is discharged from the reaction vessel by passing the soil product, in dry, dusty hydrophobic form through a treating zone where it is sprayed with a surfactant. The surfactant-treated solid is passed to a blender where it is mixed with sufficient water to provide a substantially dust-free clean product. IMAGE