The project was located in Israël, in Haifa Bay on a large disaffected chemical industrial factory made
of many decaying buildings. The purpose of this pilot project was to assess the feasibility of thermal
desorption for treating mercury contaminated soil using the Smart BurnerTM Technology.

Haemers Technologies has designed a pilot plant composed of two main unit:
– A thermal pile of 275m³ composed of 15 Propane Smart Burners
– A Vapor Treatment Unit (VTU) where Mercury and VOCs were captured in activated carbon
Tanks or in liquid form by condensation (condensate)

The following tables summarized the contaminants soil targets after treatment and their maximum concentrations in the soil:

Two main parameters were monitored within the pile itself throughout the whole project. All
parameters monitored were compiled into a report which was daily communicated to the client.

1°) Temperature monitoring:
Ten thermocouple tubes were installed within the pile. 3 thermocouples were installed at
different depth within each tube for HT to be able to have a live visualisation of the temperature.

2°) Pressure monitoring:
Four pressure tubes were installed (two on each side of the pile). Pressure tubes allows HT staff to m
annually measure (with an adapted measuring equipment) the pressure within the pile. The
pressure was taken daily at each tube location.

3°) Combustion gases monitoring:
The combustion gases from the burners are collected and emitted at a stack. The stack was
monitored daily for various parameters (i.e. O2, CO2, CO, CxHy, NOx).

4°) Contaminated vapor monitoring
The VTU was equipped with 9 measuring location which allowed HT’s staff to have a precise
understanding of the key physic-chemical parameters within it. Each monitoring location was
analysed at least once a day. The VTU stack was particularly monitored to ensure compliant emission
for key parameters (Hg, VOCs, CO, aso). All parameters were compiled in a report and communicated
daily to the client.

A pilot test was performed between January and April 2022. It was carried out on heavily contaminated soil with VOC and S-VOC and mercury. Those soils were gathered in a pile for thermal treatment. After 3 weeks of installation (i.e., mounting of thermal pile, vapor treatment unit and condensate tanks), the system was lit within one week and lasted 30 days.
The following has been demonstrated during the treatment:

1. Ex-situ thermal desorption can successfully treat mixed contaminated soil with mercury and VOC, S-VOC contaminated soils to residential levels for subsequent beneficial use.

2. Haemers Technologies’ design has proven to be effective in recovering the mercury and chlorinated vapors.

3. Haemers Technologies’ operations have proven to be fully compliant with air emission and did not affect ambient air quality.

The pilot project demonstrated that Ex-Situ Thermal Desorption with propane burners is a very
effective technology for treating this type of contaminated material soils in the most sustainable way.