Enhancement of Soil Flushing Method by Ultrasonic Radiation on Diesel Contaminated Soils

디이젤 오염토 수세시 초음파가 세척률 증가에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

Spilling of petroleum hydrocarbons such as gasoline, motor oils, and diesel fuel from underground storage tanks (USTs) is a major source of contamination to ground water and soils. In response to the need of developing an effective and economical cleanup technique, this study investigates the effectiveness of using sonication to enhance the soil flushing method. The study involves laboratory testing, and the testing was conducted using a specially designed and fabricated device to determine the effect of sonication on contaminant removal. The sonication was applied at 20 kHz frequency under different power levels. Test soil was Joomoonjin Sand, and diesel fuel was used as a contaminant of soil flushing test. The results of the investigation show that sonication enhanced the contaminant removal from soils significantly, and the degree of enhancement varied with power levels of sonication. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that the flushing method with sonication has a great potential to become an effective method for removing petroleum hydrocarbons from the contaminated ground.