A Comparative Study of Microwave and Resistance Heating for the Efficient Thermal Desorption of Mineral Oil from Contaminated Soils

Jun Xu (), Songtao Liu and Chuanmin Chen ()
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Jun Xu: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071000, China
Songtao Liu: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071000, China
Chuanmin Chen: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071000, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-12

Abstract: The contamination of soils by mineral oils presents a significant environmental challenge, particularly due to the widespread use of petroleum products in various industrial sectors. This study investigates the efficiency of microwave heating compared to conventional resistance heating for the thermal desorption of mineral oil from contaminated soils. The experimental results demonstrated that microwave heating offers superior performance in terms of pollutant removal efficiency, energy consumption, and the preservation of soil’s physical and chemical properties. This study further conducted a kinetic analysis of the desorption process, revealing that microwave heating follows a first-order kinetic model and requires lower activation energy than conventional methods. The findings suggest that microwave-assisted thermal desorption is a highly effective and energy-efficient technology for soil remediation, providing a potential alternative to conventional techniques. This research offers valuable insights into optimizing thermal desorption processes for environmental remediation, with implications for broader applications in soil treatment.

Keywords: microwave heating; thermal desorption; mineral oil contamination; soil remediation; kinetic analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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