Controlled Thermal Destruction of Solid and Liquid Wastes

High Temperature Controlled Thermal Destruction of Solid Wastes
Investigators: Lei Yang, Dr. Jerrold Chen, Dr. Ozzie Missoum
Research Facilities: Plasma Assisted Controlled Mixing History Reactor (CMHR)
                                    Solid Waste Thermal Destruction Facility (TDF)

The scope of this research is to examine the thermal destruction of solid wastes in a controlled environment, with the objective of maximum mass and volume reduction of solid wastes and least amount of pollutants emission. The approach employed in this study involves parallel efforts between numerical calculations and experimental measurements. For numerical calculations, both equilibrium code and CFD codes are used, while experimental measurements are carried out on the Controlled Mixing History Reactor (CMHR) and the laboratory scale Thermal Destruction Facility (TDF). The CMHR is a plasma- operated drop tube furnace capable of operating at temperatures up to 2500 K. It is optically accessible for non-intrusive diagnostics and has a capability of variable residence time ( several seconds ) for the solid waste particles in the controlled thermal and chemical environment surrounding the particles. The TDF is 12"x12"x18" in size, lined with refractory material, and can be heated with either plasma gas or gas burner. Both pyrolysis and combustion of surrogate solid wastes are carried out in these facilities. The product gases are analyzed using on-line gas monitoring system and gas chromatograph (GC) for CO, CO2, NOx, O2 , unburnt hydrocarbons and other gases. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the neutron activation method (NAM) are used to identify metals in fly ash and solid residues.




High Temperature Thermal Destruction of Liquid Waste
Investigators: Todd Thurlow, Dr. Ozzie Missoum
Research Facility: Liquid Waste Thermal Destruction Facility

The objective of this research is to obtain a detailed understanding of the chemical kinetics which govern the high temperature thermal destruction of chlorinated liquid wastes. A plasma heated drop-tube furnace is used to study the controlled thermal destruction of various chlorinated liquids via pyrolysis and oxidation. Gas chromatograph is used to analyze the chemical composition of various gases produced from the destruction of the waste. The effects of liquid wastes material properties, surrounding gas temperature and composition (i.e., inert or oxidative), particle residence time in high temperature zone are examined for the subsequent product composition. The experimental results are used to generate detailed reaction mechanisms describing the destruction process. This kinetic information is necessary in order to understand the evolution of toxic by-products from the incineration of hazardous liquid wastes.






 

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Last Edited: May 13, 2006