Possibilities for Reducing CO and TOC Emissions in Thermal Waste Treatment Plants: A Case Study

Abstract

The technology of waste-management thermal processing may pose a threat to the natural environment through the emission of harmful substances, such as CO, NOx, SO2, HCl, HF, total organic carbon (TOC) and dust, as well as dioxins and furans. Due to the advantages of thermal waste treatment, including the small volume of solid residue produced and possible thermal energy recovery, thermal waste treatment is widely applied. Continuous research is necessary to develop methods for reducing the risk of harmful substances being produced and methods for the effective removal of pollutants resulting from flue gases. This paper presents an analysis of the results and conditions of the experimental redesign of a thermal industrial waste (polypropylene) treatment plant. The purpose of the redesign was to improve the quality of gasification and afterburning processes taking place in the combustion and afterburner chambers (through the installation of an additional section), thus resulting in a reduction in the concentrations of CO and total organic carbon (TOC) in flue gases. The research concerned a facility implementing the combustion process on an industrial scale. The experiment led to a reduction in the average concentrations of carbon monoxide from 16.58 mg/m3 to 3.23 mg/m3 and of volatile organic compounds from 2.20 mg/m3 to 0.99 mg/m3. At the same time, no deterioration was observed in any of the remaining technological parameters of the plant, such as waste combustion performance and the energy efficiency of the thermal energy recovery system.

Reducation possibilities of gas emission from meat processing companies: a review

“…Gases are kept at a similar temperature for a long time, as a result of which substances are oxidized with oxygen and destroyed. The chamber is also equipped with automatic removal of combustion ash (Bujak, Sitarz, & Pasela, 2021). The efficiency of this system (Figure 4) depends on the afterburning time, temperature, oxygen and turbulence.…”

“…With the correct implementation of the system for the specifics of production, setting the time and their circulation, the system can achieve 99% efficiency, depending on the composition of gas mixtures (Bujak, Sitarz, & Pasela, 2021). Such systems (Figure 4) are considered one of the eco-friendly methods of air purification, which provides high rates of various types of pollution of gaseous to solid particles in comparison with scrubbers and biofilters and other systems, but the disadvantage is the high cost of energy spent in maintaining a given temperature with fuel costs (Emis, 2020b).…”