HEAVY METALS EMISSIONS CONTROL BY CO-FIRING MSW AND COAL

Incineration of Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) often results in the emission oftoxic heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium. Previous work has demonstrated theability of some aluminosilicates sorbents, including common coal-borne minerals,to capture lead and cadmium vapors and, thereby, prevent their emission. Leadand cadmium capture by such sorbents have been shown to be non-leachable. PSITechnologies, therefore, proposes a unique process for heavy metals control: co-incineration of coaselection of the optimum coal, giving cost-effective metals removal. The coal-borne minerals will ahelp to stabilize feed quality in MSW incinerators.In the Phase I effort, PSI Technologies will explore the feasibility the proposedmetals control strategy by utilizing a carefully selected coal to capture leadand cadmium during combustion. Metal vapors, coal, and chlorine will be combinedin various combinations in an entrained flow reactor and ash collected todetermine capture efficiency and product leachability. Phase II will exploreimportant coal characteristics, with the goal of providing a coal selectionmethodology, and demonstrating the process on a pilot scale unit.