Cost-effective monitoring for a soil vapor extraction (SVE) system: a simplified modeling and gas sensor test

In order to establish cost-effective monitoring strategies for soil vapor extraction (SVE), a simplified model for multi-component mass transfer of a complex liquid mixture in porous media and gas sensor are proposed and experimentally evaluated. The basic task for the cost-effective monitoring of SVE is to decide how to predict the performances of venting systems in terms of the contaminant vapor removal rate and the time required to accomplish the clean-up specification. The method includes classifying of individual components of a complex mixture on the basis of gas chromatographic (GC) profile and treating each resulting group as a pseudo-single compound. BTEX components of gasoline were selected for model input and the remainders were divided into 4 groups based on their GC retention times. The model proposed in this study is capable of predicting with accuracy volatilization behaviors of gasoline components in soil and the gas sensor (FIGARO TGS 823) was tested by GC-FID to toluene and TPH-GRO(Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Gasoline Range Organics) gas samples. A VOC gas sensor was developed which recognizes TPH-GRO concentrations between 250 and 50 ppm. The developed gas sensor test and proposed model can be used as a valuable tool for the cost-effective monitoring for SVE systems.