Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which is capable of efficiently decontaminating soil, and which has several common components with a conventional asphalt production plant. This feature permits a conventional asphalt plant to be retrofitted by the addition of a relatively small number of additional components, so as to permit the apparatus to selectively produce asphalt, or to decontaminate soil. When operated in the configuration for decontainating soil, the soil is initially heated to a temperature above the vaporization temperature but below the autoignition temperature of the contaminants, so as to volatilize the contaminants. The volatilized contaminants are then delivered to an incinerator, wherein the volatilized contaminants are heated to a temperature sufficient to be converted to non-toxic products, such as carbon dioxide and water.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for heating and drying stone aggregate useful in the production of asphalt, and which also has the ability to incinerate contaminated soil. The apparatus includes a rotary drum dryer for heating and drying the aggregate, and a rotary incinerator for incinerating the soil. The discharge ends of the rotary dryer and incinerator are positioned so as to oppose each other, and a breeching is provided for enclosing and interconnecting the two ends. The breeching includes a diverter gate, so that the incinerated soil may be either added to the heated and dried aggregate, or directed to a separate external stockpile. The incinerator has a refractory lined interior having a plurality of air inlet tuyeres which are spaced along its axial length so as to provide for the staged combustion of the volatilized contaminants in the soil, to thereby result in low NOx emissions.