In 2009 Ecologia was appointed to design, manufacture and install a Multi-Phase extraction system at a chemicals facility in Northern Italy. The remediation contracting was undertaken by Ecologia following investigation and overall design by various consultants. The aim of the multiphase system was to prevent any off site escape of hydrocarbon contamination from the shallow aquifer and to remove VOCs from the unsaturated soils, acting as a source zone.

Following the successful operation of the 1^st phase of works  in 2011 Ecologia was appointed to design, manufacture and install an additional system to treat  the off site plume which had impacted both soils and groundwater .

The system installed in 2009 uses Multi-Phase Extraction (MPE).  This technique applies a high vacuum for removing liquids and vapour from the subsurface utilising the same extraction well and it is particularly suited for removing liquids from shallow wells with variable water recharge dominated by precipitation.

The second system  installed in 2011 uses a  Dual Phase Extraction  (DPE)  where  down hole pumps and  high capacity vacuum blowers are combined in order to achieve independent water and vapour removal systems in anticipation that one phase may require longer remediation than the other. A system  remote  air water separators had to be installed in order to prevent  condensate built up in the SVE extraction pipework, with the liquid phase being returned to the treatment system separately to the gaseous phase.

The equipment was fully designed and built at our workshops in Kent including the design and manufacture of the control panel and telemetry system as well as the design and manufacture of the automated total volatile organic compound (TVOC) detection device.

The equipment is fully ATEX compliant and designed to be easy to use by site staff following training. Anti frost protection and cooling equipment was also incorporated in the design as the area is subject to annual temperature variation of 40⁰C to -10⁰C.

The MPE system installed in 2009 is extracting from 12 wells; whilst DPE system installed in 2011 is extracting from 10 pumps and a total of 16 SVE wells.

To date the combined system has recovered more that 30 tonnes of VOCs since the commencement of operation in 2009.

The design, manufacture and installation of both systems was undertaken within a lump sum contract and was completed on time and within budget.

The both systems are currently managed and operated by Ecologia.