CATALYTIC COMBUSTION OF WASTE HALOGENATED SOLVENTS

THE AMENDED RCRA ACT REQUIRES NEW DISPOSITION OF HALOGENATEDORGANIC SOLVENTS. FOR MANY SOURCES, IT IS NOT ECONOMIC TO RECYCLE THE SOLVENTS, SO THEY MUST BE DESTROYED BY THERMAL INCINERATION, BUT THIS REQUIRES COSTLY CONCENTRATION OF SOLVENT WASTES. AIR STRIPPING OF AQUEOUS SYSTEMS CONTAININGHALOGENS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE IF THERE WERE A CATALYTIC COMBUSTOR FOR WASTE HALOGENATED SOLVENTS. IN THE PROPOSED RESEARCH, A NOVEL CATALYST PREPARATIONAL METHOD IS TO BE ADAPTED TO A CATALYST FOR OXIDATION OF HALOGENS IN DILUTE AIR STREAMS. THIS PROCEDURE PRODUCES HIGHLY ACTIVE OXIDATION/REDUCTION CATALYSTS FROM STAINLESS STEEL SCREEN, WHICH IS RESISTANT TO HC1 ATTACK OF THE REACTOR PRODUCT. IN THE PROPOSED RESEARCH, A LIMITED TEST PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO SELECT A PREFERRED CATALYST FROM AN AVAILABLE SET, THE PRIMARY REACTION SEQUENCE WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND A PRELIMINARY REACTION MODEL WILL BE PRODUCED WHICH REFLECT PRIMARY MECHANISTIC STEPS INVOLVED. PRELIMINARY DESIGN EVALUATIONS WILL BE MADE TO DEFINE IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN PHASE II, AND A NOVEL ELECTRICAL HEATING SCHEME OF THE CONDUCTING CATALYST WILL BE EXAMINED. ELECTRON MICROPROBE AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES WILL BE MADE THROUGH COOPERATIVE EFFORTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS.