MATERIAL RECYCLING AND WASTE MINIMIZATION BY FREEZE CRYSTAL CORPORATION

This program will demonstrate the applicability of the freeze crystallization (FC) process dirctly to U.S. Air Force environmental managers by, in phase I, (1) finding applications that are well served by this technology, (2) demonstrating the capabilities of the FC process by processing wastes in FTCAC's lab pilot plant facilities, and (3) developing a design for a prototype FC plant that will be built under Phase II and placed in the field for demonstration testing on actual waste streams. It is shown in this proposal that FC is a process with wide-ranging capability for recycling materials that are now disposed of as waste and for meeting the increasingly stringent limits on air and water discharges from industrial facilities. This process is generally applicable to both aqueous and organic-based solutions and will provide high quality purity treated water for discharge, regardless of the type of contaminant that is in it. Potential applications for this technology include: recycling paint stripping solvents that are now incinerated (e.g., dichlorobenzene and normal-methyl pryollidone); more complete removal of VOCs, semi-volatile compounds, heavy organics, heavy metals and radionuclides from contaminated effluents and groundwater; decontamination of aviation fuels; recycling of all effluents from metal finishing operations; decontamination and rejuvenation of acid and alkaline cleaning bathes.