Removal of VOCs from groundwater using air-sparged hydrocyclone stripping technology

The air-sparged hydrocyclone (ASH) technology offers the unique opportunity to achieve efficient removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated water at a high specific capacity, many times that of conventional air stripping technologies. Originally developed for the fast and efficient flotation of fine particles from suspensions, VOC stripping is the first application of the ASH as a contacting reactor rather than a flotation device. After initial research revealed that the ASH stripping system performed well in a laboratory setting, field tests were conducted at the Tooele Army Depot to determine the effects of typical groundwater chemistry on VOC removal capabilities. The Tooele site is currently treating VOC contaminated groundwater via conventional aeration techniques. Initial results indicate that the ASH technology has comparable efficiency while operating in a space many times less than that required for conventional air stripping equipment of similar capacity. Effects of fouling due to build-up of scale forming salts were also examined.