Description of Technology: Describes the Treatment Process Device Or Technology, Including

Technology Overview
Technology Type:
Materials Handling/Physical Separation
Trade Name and/or Model Number assigned by vendor:
Multistage Devolatilizer (MS-DEVO)
Technology Scale: Indicates the operational status of the technology.
Pilot Scale - Available equipment is of sufficient size to verify technology feasibility or establish the design and operating conditions for a full-scale system. However, it is not of the size typically used for a cleanup.
Vendor Services:
Equipment manufacturer
Prime contractor for full-service characterization, monitoring, or measurement
Patent Information
Registered trademark
Vendor has exclusive license
Technology patented
Patent Pending
Verification Program Information

/ This technology is in the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program.
/ This technology is being tested, or has been tested, in EPA SITE Emerging Technology Program.
/ This technology is being tested, or has been tested, in EPA SITE Demonstration Program.

Description of Technology:
Describes the treatment process device or technology, including scientific principles on which the technology is based; key treatment steps; unique and inovative features; whether full-scale system is/will be batch, continuous, or semicontinuous; and whether the technology is above ground or in situ.

The continuous Multi-Stage Devolatilization (MS-DEVO) technology utilizes air or steam to strip volatile components from a sludge, slurry, or ground water with suspended solids.
The unique feature of this technology is that particulates are kept in suspension and effectively moved through the system without plugging. Conventional stripping devices, such as packed or trayed towers, tend to plug when suspended solids are present.
The stripping vapor passes counter current to the flow of the slurry or sludge. Staged mass transfer zones allow increased contact time to accomodate various liquids and sludges. Splash plates are used to disperse the liquid phase, agitate the mixture, and create vapor phase contact. Particulates are kept suspended through each stage to eliminate settling of solids and recirculation occurs within each stage.
High volatile organic removal efficiencies approaching 99.9 percent have been proven with this technology.

Technology Highlights:
Describes the key marketable features of the technology in terms of contaminants treated, performance, implementation, or cost. Includes the key marketable features of the technology, such as treatment niche and advantages over other technologies.

This system is highly effective in treating sludges, slurrys, and water with suspended solids or ground water with high potential for precipitating solids during aeration. Particulates are suspended and effectively moved through the system continuously without plugging.
High treatment efficiencies are observed (99.9 percent) without the necessity of pretreatment.
The system is simple, low maintenance, and effective over a wide range of operating conditions. The equipment is designed to adhere to stringent standards with a planned life of 20 years.
For traditional ground water/aqueous slurries remediation about one third of the cost is the maintenance cost. The advantage of the multi-stage devolatilization technology is reduced maintenance costs that will result in potential savings. Just as an example, the maintenance cost for treating 150 gallons per minute (gpm) of ground water via conventional strippers may be around $130,000 per year. Since ground water treatment facilities never shut down, the present value of these maintenance costs can be determined. At ten percent interest, the present value of a $130,000 maintenance cost is near 1.2 million dollars. Therefore, implementation of multi-stage devolatilization technology for ground water sites may represent large potential savings.

Technology Limitations:
Describes the technical limitations such as specific contaminants or contaminant combinations, temperature, moisture content, or chemical properties of the contaminant, that could adversely affect applicability or performance.

System has difficulty accomodating mixtures with greater than 30 percent suspended solids by weight.

Other Comments:
Provides additional technology information, such as technology history, status, capabilities, experience, and applicable permits obtained (e.g., TSCA, RCRA). Also describes plans for future development of the technology, including diversification of media and/or contaminants treated.

The system has been under development since 1988. It was orginally conceived and developed by Dow Chemical Company researchers for application as a process emission control and remedial technology. Since its conception, this technology has been continually improved and has been demonstrated to operate at high efficiencies with problem liquids.

Media:
Actual - have been treated by this technology.
Potential - may be applied in the future.

Actual / Potential
/ / Soil (ex situ)
/ / Sludge (does not include municipal sewage sludge)
/ / Saturated sediment (ex situ)

Contaminant Groups treated:
Actual - have been treated by this technology.
Potential - may be applied in the future. If this technology is materials handling/physical separation, delivery/extraction, or is an equipment vendor, this question may not apply.

Actual / Potential /
/ / Halogenated volatiles
/ / Halogenated semivolatiles
/ / Nonhalogenated volatiles
/ / Nonhalogenated semivolatiles
/ / Solvents
/ / Acetonitrile (organic cyanide)

Waste source or site types of sites treated:
Actual - have been treated by this technology.
Potential - may be applied in the future.

Actual / Potential /
/ / Chlor-alkali Manufacturing
/ / Coal Gasification
/ / Dry Cleaners
/ / Electroplating
/ / Gasoline Service Station/Petroleum Storage Facility
/ / Herbicide Manufacturing/Use
/ / Industrial Landfills
/ / Inorganic/Organic Pigments
/ / Machine Shops
/ / Municipal Landfills
/ / Munitions Manufacturing/Storage
/ / Paint/Ink Formulation/Use
/ / Pesticide Manufacturing/Use/Storage
/ / Petroleum Refining and Reuse
/ / Photographic Products
/ / Plastics Manufacturing
/ / Pulp and Paper Industry
/ / Other Organic Chemical Manufacturing/Use
/ / Other Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing/Use
/ / Semiconductor Manufacturing
/ / Rubber Manufacturing
/ / Wood Preserving

Full Scale Equipment/Capabilities:
Full-Scale Facility is: TransportableFixedIn situ

Number of Full-Scale Systems:
Number planned/in design: / 2 / Projected completion (MM/DD/YY): / Not Provided

Capacity Range:
5 to 2000 gallons/minute (units)
Number of full-scale cleanups conducted by using this technology. Only applications of this technology that were applied at petroleum/hazardous waste sites are considered.
vendor initiated or completed - as a subcontractor or prime contractor: 0
equipment manufacturer - other firms using this technology: 0
Full Scale - Major Unit Process:

Full-scale unit processes will consist of:
- Intake/blower or reboiler (for steam systems) processes.
- Stripper column with splash plate design and recirculation pumps.
- Carbon, thermal, or other vapor treatment processes for systems using air. Condensers for systems using steam.

Price Factors:
Estimated Price Range.
A "ballpark" estimate per unit of waste treated. Includes waste preprocessing and excludes excavation, permitting, and disposal of residues.
$ 0.08 to $ 0.2 per 100 gallons (units)
Factors Affecting Unit Price.
Following is a ranking of items that will have a significant effect on the unit price. If the technology is in situ, excavation and waste handling did not affect price. (1 = highest)

Rank / Factor
1 / Quantity of waste
2 / Target concentration of contaminant
3 / Utility/fuel rates

Full-Scale Cleanups
Number of full-scale cleanups using this technology which has been initiated or completed. 0
Number of full-scale cleanups by other firms using this technology. 0
Pilot Scale Equipment/Capabilities:
Pilot-Scale Facility is: Transportable Fixed In situ

Number of Pilot-Scale Systems
Number constructed / 2

Number of times this technology has been used at the vendor facility or at other locations to conduct pilot-scale studies on actual wastes. Multiple studies pertaining to the same site has been counted only once, regardless of the number of different wastes or tests. Tests on surrogate wastes are not included.
3
Pilot-scale treatability studies on some types of waste can be conducted :
At vendor location At a contaminated site
Prorated capacity of batch processes.
0.1 to 10 gallons/minute (units) Not Applicable
Quantity of Waste Needed for Pilot-Scale Treatability Study. Estimated range of quantity of waste needed to test, at the pilot scale, the feasibility of this technology on a specific waste.
55 to 300 gallons (units)
Pilot Scale - Major Unit Process:

The major unit processes consist of:
- Intake/blower or reboiler (for steam systems) processes.
- Stripper column with splash plate design and recirculation pumps.
- Carbon, thermal, or other vapor treatment processes for systems using air. Condensers for systems using steam.

Bench Scale Equipment/Capabilities:
Bench-scale treatability studies can be conducted on some types of waste at the vendor location.
Estimated total number of bench-scale studies conducted on actual waste from different sources or sites. Multiple studies pertaining to the same site counted only once, regardless of the number of different wastes or tests. Did not count tests on surrogate wastes. 12
Bench Scale - Major Unit Process:

Batch testing is conducted on 5-gallon quantities of the waste. Test parameters include fraction of sample volatilized, percent suspended solids, viscosity, and contaminant baseline concentrations.
Batch devolatilization runs are conducted with a single-stage batch devolatilizer.

Literature and Technical References:
Information not available.