The following tips and guidance can help improve environmental outcomes and reduce costs during site cleanups.

System Design

Select vacuum pumps and blowers that can be changed as remediation progresses and requirements change.

Select piping appropriately to minimize pressure drops to reduce energy use from blowers.

Use variable frequency drive motors to automatically adjust energy use to meet demand.

Use solar-powered off grid soil vapor extraction (SVE) equipment.

Design for continuous improvement (e.g., allow for ability to transition to an alternate technology such as in-situ chemical oxidation).

Consider feasibility of horizontal vapor extraction wells that can help minimize upwelling caused by vacuum extraction in shallow groundwater areas.

Use existing/available concrete/hard surface onsite for placement of the remediation equipment in lieu of a new construction.

Installation

Install nested vapor extraction (VE)/air sparge (AS) wells or shallow/deep wells within the same borehole to minimize the number of drilling locations and to minimize waste generation.

Install and properly maintain surface seals around extraction wells and monitoring points.

Install check valves in well casings to promote barometric pumping.

Operation

Consider treating liquid condensate in onsite systems if concentrations permit.

Recycle condenser water as supplemental cooling water if permitted.

Reclaim uncontaminated pumped water and treat water for dust control if permitted.

Adjust flow rates as treatment continues to minimize air flow and maximize the amount of contaminants extracted per volume of vapor removed.

Evaluate if wells are performing effectively and consider taking offline wells with little to no recovery.

Switch to a polishing technology with lower energy intensity once the majority of the contamination is removed.

Increase automation through use of equipment such as pressure transducer and thermo-couples with automatic data loggers.