Construction and Maintenance of a Biopile,

Experience from West Africa

Maarten.Cuypers@erm.com
 Plan of Talk

Introduction
Scope of Project
Technology Screening
Construction of the Biopile
Design / Work Plan / List of Materials
Preparing the Facility
Organising Soil in Biopile
Selection of Blower
Operation, Maintenance and Decommissioning
Conclusion

October 2013■ Durban, South Africa■ www..iccl.ch 1

Introduction – Managing polluted soil in
Developing Countries
Limited established local capacity (lack of commercial soil
treatment facilities / hazardous waste landfills)
Need for robust, safe and cost-efficient technology
Taking advantage of local conditions
Tropical or subtropical climate (may enhance degradation)
Eagerness to learn, motivated local workers
Considering specific circumstances
Security risk
Power cuts
Extreme weather events
Awareness training
Avoid approach that is maintenance-intensive over long period
Considering temporary Soil Treatment Facilities (STF)
October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 2
 Scope of Project

Redevelopment and remediation of fuel retail site in

urban environment in West Africa
Off-site treatment of 350 m3 contaminated soil,
limited land area available
Consider purpose-built Soil Treatment Facility (STF)
Soil to be treated:
Impacted by petrol and diesel
Fine to medium sand
BTEX 300 mg/kg, C6-C10 1600 mg/kg
TPH 6500 mg/kg (mostly C10–C22)

October 2013■ Durban, South Africa■ www..iccl.ch 3

 Technology Screening – Biotreatment STF

Requirements Landfarming Biopiling Composting

Land area High (5 m2 / m3) Low (1.5 m2 / m3) Medium (2.5 m2 / m3)
Aeration method Passive Active Passive
Dust control Yes No No
Treatment time 2-6 months 1-4 months 1-4 months
(petrol)
Reuse for Possible Possible Difficult
engineered fill
Relative cost / m3 Low Medium High
Relative Low Medium High
maintenance
Equipment Medium Low High
requirements

October 2013■ Durban, South Africa■ www..iccl.ch 4

 Design – Longitudinal section

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 5

 Design – Transverse section

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 6

 Work Plan

Organisation of Biopile
Installing gravel bed on top of concrete pad, covered by
geotextile, for drainage purposes
Mixing contaminated soil (approx 350 m3) with 15 m3 of
sawdust and 1000 kg of fertiliser
(N:P:K=Nitrogen:Phosphor:Kalium ratio of 15:1:1) and
organising soil on treatment pad
Organising slotted aeration piping in biopile, connected
to blower with capacity of about 50 to 100 m3/hour for
aeration purposes
Covering pile with sheeting extending to rainwater gutter
No soil handling during rain events, covering all soil with
sheeting at end of each work day

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 7

 Materials to be mobilised (1)

Gravel to be installed on top of concrete base, layer of 5 cm

Geotextile (permeable) to cover gravel to avoid soil
particles getting into gravel bed (300 m2)
Sawdust – 15 m3 – to be mixed with 350 m3 of
contaminated soil
Fertiliser – N:P:K=Nitrogen:Phosphor:Kalium ratio of 15:1:1
- 1000 kg required – to be mixed with 350 m3 of
contaminated soil
PVC pipes with diameter 50 mm and male/female fittings,
total 70 m
Plastic sheeting – approx 1 000 m2

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 8

 Materials to be mobilised (2)

Tyres, sandbags or equivalent – to put on sheeting to

keep sheeting in place during heavy winds/storms
Blower (ventilator) with capacity of about 50 - 100 m3/ hour
for air (oxygen) supply to biopile, blower to be connected to
pipework manifold
Flexible tubing diameter 8 mm (60 m total) to be installed in
biopile for soil vapour monitoring purposes
Hose for weekly sprinkling of pile to maintain appropriate
moisture content
VOC monitor for monitoring volatile organics in ambient air
as well as in soil gas of biopile

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 9

 Preparing the Facility (1)

Concrete pad
Gutters

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 10

 Preparing the Facility (2)

Geotextile
Gravel bed

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 11

 Organising Soil in Biopile (1)

Soil Mixing
Saw Dust
(bulking agent)
Fertiliser

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 12

 Organising Soil in Biopile (2)

Aeration
pipes tilted

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 13

 Organising Soil in Biopile (3)

Pipe Manifold

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 14

 Aeration, Selection of Blower (1)

Medium sand, expected max blower outlet pressure

required for biopile approx 100 mbar (low)
Air flow (oxygen) design for biopile: 1 to 3 soil pore
volume exchanges per day → 50 m3/hr incl safety
factor for air losses
Consider “side channel blower”
Ventilation at constant, medium to high flow rate and low resistance
Limited maintenance (air cooled motor, non-contacting impeller)
Oil free compression
Silencers
Low power consumption
ATEX models available

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 15

 Selection of Blower (2) documentation Busch

Select model that realises 50 m3/hr at

100 mbar over pressure
• Model SB0080
• Max power 0.50 kW
• Blower cost EUR400
• Air particulate inlet filter EUR80

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 17

Operation and maintenance of the Biopile

Monitoring soil gas (O2, VOCs)

Monitor ambient air in Biopile vicinity (VOCs)
Monitoring concentrations in soil
Weekly sprinkling (maintain appropriate moisture
content)
Verify Blower functioning (continuous aeration)
Check liners, visit during rain events
Decommissioning considering soil final destination

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 18

 Aeration operational

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 19

Biopile monitoring (O2, VOCs, %LEL)

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 20

 Monitoring soil gas quality

Original value in Biopile Value when Biopile

(blower not yet started) operational
VOCs (ppm - PID) 4-20 3-20

Oxygen (vol%) 1-3 18-20

%LEL 0 0

Aerobic degradation demonstrated

Ventilation supports required oxygen supply

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 21

 Evolution of soil concentrations in Biopile

Original value in Target value Value in Biopile after

Biopille (mg/kg) (mg/kg) 2 months (mg/kg)
Benzene 3 (max of 10) 1 <0,05 (all 12 samples)
2 (avg of 10)

BTEX 270 (max of 10) 100 <0,2 (all 12 samples)

116 (avg of 10)

C6-C10 1300 (max of 10 10 <20 (all 12 samples)

500 (avg of 10)

C10-C12 530 (max of 10) 10 (max of 12)

290 (avg of 10) 8 (avg of 12)

C12-C22 3400 (max of 10) 720 (max of 12)

2200 (avg of 10) 580 (avg of 12)

TPH (C10-C40) 4500 (max of 10 4500 940 (max of 12)

2900 (avg of 10) 800 (avg of 12)

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 22

 Decommissioning

Acceptable end-use
Capping material for landfill sites
Engineered/non-engineered fill
Road bed material
Unacceptable end-use
Any activity that may allow direct contact with humans or
sensitive environment
• Gardens
• Agriculture
• River protection
Consultation with environmental agency and locally
accredited environmental expert
October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 23
 Conclusions

Purpose built Soil Treatment Facilities support sustainable

and cost-efficient management of contaminated land in
developing countries
Reliance on locally available equipment and practices
contributes to respecting schedule and project success
Equipment shipped in limited to 0,5kW side channel blower
and hand held vapour quality monitor
Biopile was constructed, operated and decommissioned by
local engineers and supported with locally available
resources and materials

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 24

 Questions?

www.erm.com

October 2013 ■ Durban, South Africa ■ www..iccl.ch 25