METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CONTAMINATED SOIL

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for cleaning contaminated soil whereby a treatment suitable for the components and volume of a contaminant can be efficiently performed while greatly reducing the running cost without the necessity for installing a large-sized treatment facility; and a soil-cleaning apparatus used in the method. SOLUTION: The soil-cleaning apparatus is equipped with the following: treatment vessels 20, 21, 22 in which contaminated soil contaminated by a harmful substance such as an oil, PCB, or dioxins is subjected to immersion cleaning in a solvent without being subjected to mixing agitation, and then to the removal of the solvent and water from the soil; a solvent purification means 19 for recovering and purifying the solvent stained in the above treatment vessels; and a steam supply means 10 for supplying steam to be used for recovering the solvent. In the apparatus, a plurality of treatment vessels are installed for performing the above treatments such as cleaning; and one or more solvent purification means 19 being fewer in number than the treatment vessels, a steam supply means 10, and a plurality of treatment vessels 20, 21, 22 are installed so as to be connectable selectively with time difference. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI