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.