RESTORATION OF BEACHES CONTAMINATED BY OIL

Based on laboratory studies, a 30 ton per hour pilot plant was built for cleaning oil contaminated beach sands. The plant utilized the principle of froth flotation. Extensive field testing considered different oils, feed concentrations, both brackish and sea water, and a range of processing conditions. Forty one field tests were conducted at the U.S. Navy's Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center at DamNeck, Virginia. These varied from nominal runs with sand feed rates of 30 tons per hour and oil concentrations of 0.5% to oil/water separations at high capacity. Using the test results, a mobile unit was designed, constructed, field tested, and delivered to the Environmental Protection Agency. Data was obtained on the effects on cleaning efficiency of relevant process parameters: (1) sand feed rate, (2) feed steadiness, (3) oil type, (4) oil concentration, (5) sand age, (6) feed homogeneity, (7) water rate, (8) water type, (9) slurry density, (10) residence time, (11) aeration, (12) temperature, (13) surfactant effects, (14) organic solids effects, and (15) oil deposition on wet or dry sand. The mobile unit operated successfully under a wide range of conditions. This device should prove a valuable adjunct to existing oil spill cleanup procedures. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  Environmental Protection Agency

  401 M Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20460
• Authors:
  • Gumtz, G D
• Publication Date: 1972-9

Media Info

• Pagination: 138 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Beaches; Cleaning; Oil spill cleanup; Oil spills
• Old TRIS Terms: Beach cleaning
• Subject Areas: Environment; Maintenance and Preservation; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00050918
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Maritime Research Center, Galveston
• Report/Paper Numbers: EPA-R2-72-045 Tech Ser
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 31 1974 12:00AM