Patent ID: 9737920
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: B01D,B09B,B09C,C02F

Claim:
1. An apparatus for extracting contaminants from a contaminated material comprising: an extraction tank having an interior that is adapted to receive a contaminated material, said extraction tank including a heating element that is adapted to heat the contaminated material to a temperature where contaminants in the contaminated material are released therefrom to said interior of said extraction tank, said extraction tank further including an agitator that is adapted to agitate the contaminated material as it is being heated by the heating element; an air pump that, during operation, is capable of generating a series of positive pressure air pulses at an outlet thereof and a series of negative air pulses at an inlet thereof, the air pump outlet being fluidly connected to at least one air flow conduit supported on the agitator in the extraction tank; and one or more contaminant retainers; said interior of said extraction tank, said air pump, and said one or more contaminant retainers being connected in a closed loop air circulation system such that the contaminants that are released from the contaminated material are stored in the one or more contaminate retainers, wherein the air pump causes pulse pressure air sparging to be performed on the contaminated material contained within the extracting tank by circulating hot air through the air flow conduit in the extraction tank.