NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR IMPROVED INCINERATION OF HALOGENATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

THE INCINERATION OF HALOGEN-CONTAINING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS INVOLVES A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS FOR WHICH PRESENTLY AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES NO SOLUTION. CHLORINE-CONTAINING MATERIALS SUCH AS CC14 ARE CURRENTLY DISPOSED OF BY INCINERATION BUT THIS CAUSES THE EMISSIONS OF FURANS AND DIOXINS. FURTHERMORE, HC1 IS FORMED WITHIN THE INCINERATOR. WHILE THE HC1 CAN BE REMOVED BY WET SCRUBBING, THIS IS EXPENSIVE AND IT STILL CAUSES PROBLEMS WITHIN THE INCINERATOR DUE TO ITS CORROSIVITY. MASSIVE STOCKPILES OF FREONS AND HALONS EXIST WITHIN THE U.S. MILITARY AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND NEED TO BE DISPOSED OF AS APPROPRIATE REPLACEMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE. THE ONLY MEANS OF DISPOSAL WHICH WILL PROTECT THE OZONE LAYER IS INCINERATION BUT THE INCINERATION OF FREONS AND HALONS INVOLVES ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS. THE PRESENCE OF HF AND HBR INCREASES THE CORROSIVITY PROBLEM POSED BY HC1. SINCE THE FREONS ARE FAR MORE REFRACTORY THAN CHLORINATED MATERIALS, THEIR INCINERATION IS BOTH MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AND MORE LIKELY TO PRODUCE TOXIC PRODUCTS OF INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION. HALL CELLS FOR A1 PRODUCTION CURRENTLY EMIT CF4 AND C2F6, GREENHOUSE GASES WITH 10,000 YEAR LIFETIMES, WHICH ARE INVULNERABLE TO PRESENT INCINERATION TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROJECT DESCRIBES A NOVEL IMPROVEMENT WHICH SOLVES THE ABOVE PROBLEMS.