Low Temperature Desorption Applications of a Direct-Fired Rotary Kiln Incinerator

High temperature incineration has been associated with the emission of some undesirable pollutants, namely dioxin and toxic metals. Because temperature appears to be a primary force in the generation of these pollutants, the EPA Office of Research and Development conducted a set of low temperature desorption experiments on a conventional pilot-scale rotary kiln incinerator to determine its treatment effectiveness for a synthetic waste stream. The objective of the low temperature treatment test program was to research the global effects of five parameters believed to be of primary importance to the effectiveness of organic decontamination and toxic metal partitioning. The parameters studied were soil moisture/volatile content, treatment temperature, treatment time, solid bed depth, and degree of solid agitation. A series of twelve tests was performed under different operating conditions to determine: • the relationship between kiln exit gas temperature and soil treatment temperature; • that treatment temperature was a critical parameter for remediation; • that treatment time after achieving equilibrium temperature was important; • that moisture affected the treatment effectiveness; • that feed rate affected decontamination performance; and • that agitation did not affect performance.