Patent ID: 8037617

Claim:
A soil remediation apparatus comprising: an air deck unit comprising (a) an enclosure with a contaminated soil inlet and a remediated soil outlet; (b) at least one belt conveyor located inside the enclosure and operable to convey soil along a conveying direction from the enclosure inlet to the enclosure outlet; (c) contaminated air extraction means having an inlet in fluid communication with the enclosure and an outlet, and operable to extract air from the air deck unit; and (d) air recirculation means having an inlet and outlet in fluid communication with the enclosure, and operable to extract and discharge air from and into the enclosure, thereby volatilizing contaminant vapours trapped therein; wherein the air recirculation means further comprises at least one nozzle assembly coupled to the outlet and comprising a header and a nozzle protruding from the header, the nozzle being directed at the belt conveyor and against the conveying direction such that air is discharged at the soil, thereby aerating the soil and volatilizing contaminants trapped therein; and wherein the nozzle is located in sufficient proximity to the belt conveyor that the nozzle will contact at least some soil conveyed along the belt conveyor such that the contacted soil is agitated and vapors trapped therein are volatilized.