Supplemental Project:  In-Situ Thermal Stabilization of Coal Tar
Companies are invited to provide TC matching credits for a bench-scale treatability study using thermal conduction heating to stabilize coal tar in contaminated soil.  Study results will guide full-scale remediation at a site in Georgia where residual tar contamination lies beneath railroad tracks adjacent to a former MGP plant.  The results will also benefit owners of MGP sites where full excavation of source coal tar is impractical.  Thermal conduction heating works by raising the subsurface temperature to the boiling point of water, which distills off volatile organic compounds (BTEX and naphthalene) for vapor recovery and leaves the remaining coal tar as a solid, stable mass.  This process will be applied in the laboratory to contaminated soil samples (fill, sand, peat, and clay) from the site to determine the lowest temperature that can meet full-scale treatment objectives while saving energy, time, and cost.  Researchers will also assess soil property changes resulting from thermal treatment that could cause settling beneath the tracks.  The study will start this fall with field work to refine information about contaminant distribution, collect soil samples, and characterize local hydrogeology.  It will conclude in early 2008 with EPRI publication of a final treatability report.  Tailored Collaboration credit matches totaling $170,000 are needed to fund the project; the minimum contribution is $42,500.  Companies that fund any Environment program can contribute TC credits.  For more information, contact Andrew Coleman, (650) 855-2249, acoleman@epri.com.