A MORE EFFECTIVE INCINERATOR FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE

THE DESIGN OF INCINERATORS INVOLVES A CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO IMPORTANT GOALS: COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE TOXIC ORGANICMATERIALS WHICH ARE FED TO THE INCINERATOR AND AVOIDING THE EMISSION OF HEAVY METALS WHICH WILL ALSO BE PRESENT IN THE WASTE MATERIAL. IF THE INCINERATOR TEMPERATURE IS EXCESSIVE, THE ORGANICS WILL BE COMPLETELY DESTROYED BUT HEAVY METALS CAN BE VAPORIZED, SUBSEQUENTLY CONDENSING TO FORM SUBMICRON PARTICULATES WHICH ARE DISCHARGED TO THE ATMOSPHERE. DECREASING THE INCINERATOR TEMPERATURE CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BUT CAN ALSO CAUSE LESS THAN COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE TOXIC ORGANICS. THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES A RESEARCH PROGRAM THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE A SOLUTION TO THIS DILEMMA. THE DILEMMA IS LARGELY DUE TO THE EXISTENCE OF A THRESHOLD EFFECT FOR OXIDATION, I.E., DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE LAST REMAINING TRACES OF THE TOXIC ORGANICS OXIDIZE MUCHMORE SLOWLY THAN ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM THEIR MEASURED OXIDATION RATES AT HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS. ACCORDINGLY, TO RESTORE A HIGH OXIDATION RATE, A PROPRIETARY AND NOVEL METHOD IS USED.