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Sludge incineration tests on circulating fluidised bed furnace.
V Lotito1, G Mininni, A C Di Pinto
1CNR-Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, Bari, Italy.
Summary
Fluidized bed furnace incineration effectively controls emissions like particulates, heavy metals, and acidic compounds. While some dioxin/furan levels exceeded limits, organic micropollutant control was largely independent of afterburner use or feed sludge composition.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Waste Management
Background:
- Sludge incineration is a key waste management strategy.
- Controlling emissions from sludge incineration, particularly organic micropollutants, is crucial for environmental protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a demonstrative fluidized bed furnace for sludge incineration.
- To assess the control of particulate matter, heavy metals, acidic compounds, and organic micropollutants (PAHs, PCDDs/PCDFs) under various operating conditions.
Main Methods:
- Conducted incineration tests using a fluidized bed furnace.
- Analyzed emissions for particulates, heavy metals, acidic compounds, PAHs, PCDDs, and PCDFs.
- Varied sludge composition (chlorinated hydrocarbons up to 5% chlorine) and afterburner operation.
Main Results:
- Particulate, heavy metal, and acidic compound emissions were easily controlled.
- Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were below Italian limits.
- Dioxins (PCDDs) and furans (PCDFs) occasionally exceeded limits, but fly ash concentrations were low, suggesting gas-phase presence.
- PAH and PCDD/PCDF levels were independent of afterburning, organic chlorine content, or copper addition.
Conclusions:
- Fluidized bed incineration demonstrates effective control over common sludge incineration emissions.
- Further investigation into gas-phase contaminants like PCDD/PCDFs is warranted.
- Emission control is robust across different feed sludge characteristics and operational parameters.