STEAM REFORMING OF MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER SLUDGE

THE MTIC INDIRECT STEAM REFORMING PROCESS OFFERS A COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO THE EXISTING WASTE-TO-ENERGY INCINERATION OF MUNICIPAL SLUDGE WASTE (MSW) OR REFUSE- DERIVED FUEL (RDF). THE PROCESS HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR RESOLVING MANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH INCINERATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTROL OF CHLORINATED DIOXINS AND FURANS AS WELL AS EMISSIONS OF TOXIC METALS; PARTICULATES AND SULFUR AND NITROGEN OXIDES. THE PROCESS ISA RELATIVELY LOW-TEMPERATURE (1250 F) PROCESS WHICH INHIBITSTHE FORMATION OF CHLORINATED DIOXINS AND FURANS AS WELL AS THE CONDENSATION OF METALS UPON FLY ASH NORMALLY ENCOUNTEREDINCONVENTIONAL INCINERATORS. THE WASTE-TO-ENERGY PROCESS PRODUCES A HYDROGEN RICH GAS OF MEDIUM BTU CONTENT CLOSE TO NATURAL GAS. THE REDUCTION IN SOLID WASTE IS ANTICIPATED TOBE GREATER THAN 70% WITH CHARACTERISTICS CONSIDERABLY MORE BENIGN THAN POWER PLANT ASH. THE PHASE I EFFORT IS FOCUSED UPON A SERIES OF FEASIBILITY TESTS UTILIZING WASTEWATER SLUDGE, RDF AND/OR MSW IN ITS EXISTING PILOT-SCALE REACTOR, PROCESSING THE WASTE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INCINERATION. THESE TESTS WILL ALSO PROVIDE A CHARACTERIZATION AND DISPOSITION OF THE CHEMICAL SPECIES FROM THE FEEDSTOCK IN THE PRODUCT STREAMS OF THE STEAM REFORMER, E.G., PRODUCT GAS AND SOLID WASTE RESIDUES.