GM Remediation Systems

Thermal In-situ Remediation (TISS)

General information about thermal in-situ processes

The in-situ process is one of the latest developments in contaminated site remediation. Traditionally, contaminated sites were usually dealt with by excavating the relevant area and then cleaning the soil away from the site (ex-situ). However, this method is not always feasible.

How do GMRS high temperature systems work?

The soil body and aquifer is heated until the azeotrophic temperature of the pollutant-water mixture is reached. The achievable heating element temperatures of our heating system are 1,200°C, making it suitable for higher-boiling pollutants such as naphthalene, polyfluorinated chemicals, etc., in addition to the classic CHC pollutant removal applications. The pollutant vaporizes in the soil and groundwater and can be extracted and treated by soil vapor extraction systems. This achieves rapid degradation of contaminant masses in the soil – for achieving your remediation goals.

Where can the systems be used?

The concept can be used especially for contaminant sources that already reached the water table. The HEATREM series is particularly suitable for flexible remediation of highly volatile and semi-volatile pollutants and covers all high-temperature applications for damage source remediation with more than 500°C nominal temperature.

Why in-situ remediation?

Clean groundwater is a valuable asset that must be protected. However, soils and groundwater are often polluted by contaminants. European environmental legislation therefore stipulates that the intrusion of pollutants must be prevented as far as possible and the damage to groundwater must be eliminated. In order to repair the increasingly complex groundwater damage, more and more innovative in-situ repair techniques have been developed in recent years.

The process and areas of application

In addition to conventional methods such as soil excavation and its landfilling or incineration, in-situ thermal processes can also be used for an effective and timely cleaning of cohesive soils and surfaces. With the help of these processes, it is possible to reliably remove pollutants from the soil body and the aquifer within months in order to comply with legal requirements for the remediation of contaminated sites.

In-situ technologies are used for remediation in the unsaturated soil zone, in the groundwater fluctuation zone and in the saturated soil zone.Basically, the process of in-situ remediation is based on introducing thermal energy into the subsurface. In practice, this energy input is preferably achieved by water vapor injection or by solid heat sources. Convection and conduction are the main processes of heat transfer. The focus of in-situ remediation is usually the elimination of the pollutant load in the source of the damage. With innovative in-situ processes, it is possible to remediate the source of damage more quickly, more resource-efficiently and more cost-effectively.

Acceptance by authorities

Thermal in-situ remediation (TISS) is widely used in soil conservation and water management. By tailoring solutions to specific site problems, we are able to fully address the individual boundary conditions of each site. This includes issues related to pollution laws (including noise, exhaust, indoor air, workplace monitoring) as well as issues related to groundwater heating or the interaction between subsurface soils and buildings.

Remediate contaminated sites sustainably and economically

Sustainability in remediation of contaminated sites: With thermal in-situ remediation, the source of damage can be removed quickly and economically to achieve long-term remediation success. Therefore, thermal in-situ remediation is highly rated from an economic and environmental perspective. In addition, compared to conventional methods, thermal in-situ remediation (TISS) significantly shortens the remediation time, making TISS the much more economical method.