en.Wedoany.com Reported - Environmental Clean Technologies Ltd (ASX:ECT, OTC:ECTHF) has completed the construction of its Rapid Electrothermal Mineralisation pilot system, marking a key step towards commercial in-situ PFAS remediation.
The upgraded pilot system has an output power of 22 kilowatts, approximately 18 times that of ECT's laboratory prototype, designed to destroy PFAS substances in contaminated soil and granular activated carbon more quickly and energy-efficiently.
ECT stated that the system operates at 170 kilohertz and 2,200 volts, while the laboratory-scale prototype operates at 70 kilohertz and 500 volts. The higher voltage and frequency design aims to improve current flow through the soil, thereby enhancing treatment efficiency.
A key feature of the redesigned system is its ability to operate without conductive additives such as biochar, which were used in earlier laboratory configurations to help current pass through contaminated soil. ECT noted that removing the need for additives addresses a major barrier to large-scale in-situ applications by reducing costs and complexity.
Compared to the laboratory configuration, the pilot system is approximately 50% smaller in volume and about 75% lighter in weight, making it more suitable for deployment across multiple contaminated sites.
Chief Technology Officer Justin Sharp stated that the completion of the pilot system marks a transition from laboratory concept validation to a field-deployable system. He noted that this is the system the team at Rice University has been working towards for years; the step-change increase in power output unlocks commercial-scale in-situ soil remediation, overcoming the long-standing challenge of delivering sufficient current into soil without conductive additives or fixed infrastructure, significantly enhancing the technology's commercial viability. Equally important, the reduction in system size and weight makes deployment at contaminated sites more practical, allowing installation onto existing commercial and agricultural equipment. With the pilot system completed, the focus shifts to validation and field demonstration, targeted for the second half of this year.
Rapid Electrothermal Mineralisation is ECT's process that applies high-voltage, high-power electrical current through electrodes to destroy PFAS in contaminated soil and granular activated carbon. The process generates temperatures exceeding approximately 1,000 degrees Celsius to break the carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS, converting them into inert fluoride salts. Previous laboratory tests showed the system achieved demineralisation efficiencies exceeding 96%, with perfluorooctanoic acid removal rates up to 99.98%.
ECT is currently validating the pilot system on both soil and granular activated carbon pathways, with the first in-situ pilot demonstration planned for the second half of 2026, subject to successful validation.
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