Abstract
This paper presents a novel method to couple an environmental bioremediation system with a subsurface renewable energy storage system. This method involves treating unsaturated contaminated soil using in-situ thermally enhanced bioremediation; the thermal system is powered by renewable energy. After remediation goals are achieved, the thermal system can then be used to store renewable energy in the form of heat in the subsurface for later use. This method can be used for enhanced treatment of environmental pollutants for which temperature is considered a limiting factor. For instance, this system can be used at a wide variety of petroleum-related sites that are likely contaminated with hydrocarbons such as oil refineries and facilities with above- and underground storage tanks. In this paper, a case-study example was analyzed using a previously developed numerical model of heat transfer in unsaturated soil. Results demonstrate that coupling energy storage and thermally-enhanced bioremediation systems offer an efficient and sustainable way to achieve desired temperature–moisture distribution in soil that will ultimately enhance the microbial activity.
Highlights
Soil Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (SBTES) systems are a promising renewable energy storage option
As both SBTES and thermal remediation require the installation of boreholes that can either deliver heat to the subsurface or store heat for later use (i.e., SBTES), linking the two technologies offers a unique opportunity to assist in environmental clean-up and enhance the efficiency of renewable energy storage systems
We explore the application of a novel approach to treat contaminated soil using an in-situ, thermally enhanced bioremediation system
Summary
Soil Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (SBTES) systems are a promising renewable energy storage option. An opportunity to enhance the efficiency of SBTES systems, making them more effective is to link their infrastructure costs with thermal bioremediation As both SBTES and thermal remediation require the installation of boreholes that can either deliver heat to the subsurface (i.e., thermal remediation) or store heat for later use (i.e., SBTES), linking the two technologies offers a unique opportunity to assist in environmental clean-up and enhance the efficiency of renewable energy storage systems. In this introduction, we will first describe thermal bioremediation, followed by SBTES. How to link the two systems in a practical application is discussed
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