Soil air exhaustion

For the cleanup of contaminated areas, HARBAUER offers soil air exhaustion plants supplementing the operation of water purification equipment. This highly effective technique is used in combination with waste air purification methods wherever it is necessary to clean up the soil at the waterlogged level while preserving existing streets and buildings.

Where the soil is contaminated with highly volatile pollutants these plants represent an inexpensive alternative to soil removal.

To bring about soil air exhaust on, an airflow is generated in the soil mobilizing the pollutants it contains. This method is similar to the process which takes place when contaminated water is cleaned in desorption columns.

The soil air is extracted from the soil by means of a side channel compressor or a liquid ring vacuum pump via the soil air level. The more permeable the soil is, the more effectively this method can be used.

The effectiveness of this technique increases as a function of the permeability of the soil. The contaminated air extracted from the soil can be cleaned by various methods:

  • air activated carbon air adsorbers
  • solvent recovery
  • catalytic postcombustion