DEVELOPMENT IN INCINERATION

ADVANCEMENT OF THE CLASSIC PROCESS (HOUSEHOLD WASTE)

1. Grate with cooling by primary air

Apart From varying primary air distribution, experiments with
different grades of oxygen enrichment in various zones of the grate
are being conducted in industrial plants. This allows additional
improvement of burn-out and reduction of the flue gas flow.
Furthermore, the gas flow streaming through the bed is reduced,
which leads to a reduction of flue dust volumes and of the diameter
of flue dust particles (improvement of dust burn-out in the post-
combustion chamber). With a view to the function of primary air as
grate cooling agent (avoidance of over-heating) however, these 27
options for oxygen enrichment can only be applied to a very
moderate extent (e.g. 02-enrielunent up to 30%).
Mixing conditions at the entrance of the post-combustion chamber
are optimised by blowing in not only secondary air, but also flue
gas, which is drawn off upstream of the flue gas purification plant.
Thus, the post combustion chamber is separated from the grate and
at its entrance, a CSR zone and following PFR zone is created,
facilitating further improvement of the bum-out of gas and dust.
By the last-mentioned measure, i.e. replacement of secondary air
by recirculating flue gas, the flue gas flow of the plant as a whole,
and thus also the load of noxious matter, is reduced.
2. Water-cooled grate
Water cooling of a grate requires a far greater input of design than
eases, where cooling is only achieved by primary air.
Furthermore, water cooling has the advantage
That wear and tear caused by thermal influences decreases
and that no thermal overload occurs, even in case of high
calorific values.
That fall-through through the grate is reduced (lower
expansion permits narrower gaps between grate elements).
ADVANCEMENT OF THE CLASSIC PROCESS (HAZARDOUS WASTE)

Efforts are taken, to "smooth" the highly varying, in stationary

operational conditions within the rotary kiln by more elaborate logistics
in waste feeding (compilation of "waste menus") and by upgrading waste
(where possible), in order to lower e.g. the input of additional fuel
quantities (primary energy) .
The input of additional fuel (primary energy) can be further reduced by
enriching combustion air with oxygen, with other process conditions
remaining constant. Savings in additional fuel by far exceed the required
primary energy for oxygen generation.
The measures mentioned above deserve particular attention against a
background of sinking calorific values of hazardous waste and a rise in
the 29 share of solid waste in future, whereas the temperature level
(l200C) will have to be maintained.

Features of oxygen-enriched combustion system

Utilization of oxygen-enriched primary air promotes intense firing of
solid waste bed on the grate so that unburnt combustibles (CO, DXNs,
etc.) remaining in the flue gas are reduced and the ash quality is
improved.
Recirculated flue gas as secondary air improves the mixing of combustion
gas in the furnace to complete gaseous combustion and also prevents
increase of NOx.
Substantial decrease in the flue gas flow rate allows compact design of
auxiliary equipment such as boilers and flue gas treatment systems.
High-temperature combustion and reduction in the flue gas flow rate
increase the boiler heat recovery efficiency.
Test conducted on oxygen-enriched combustion system

Flow Diagram of Oxygen-Enriched Combustion

System

The tests were conducted in two different modes of operation:

(1) Operation with neither oxygen enrichment nor flue gas
recirculation (conventional operation)
(2) Operation using oxygen-enriched air for primary air and a mixture
of air and recirculated flue gas for the secondary air (oxygen
enriched operation).
During these tests, temperature and flow rate at strategic points of the system
and the properties of the flue gas were measured.
Test result:

(1) Reduction in flue gas flow rate

Graph shows a relative comparison of the flue gas flow at the stack and at the
bag filter, in which the case of conventional operation is considered to be the
baseline and has the value of 100%. It can be seen from graph that the flue gas
flow rate at the stack and the bag filter for oxygen-enriched operation was
reduced to 65% and 78% respectively when compared with conventional
operation.

Comparison of Flue Gas Flow Rate

(2) Emission of CO and NOx
It is seen from graph that the CO concentration in the flue gas is decreased for
oxygen-enriched operation. This is due to the improved combustion conditions
that result from the increased reactivity of oxygen-enriched primary air, the
higher furnace temperatures and good mixing by flue gas recirculation. Even
though the furnace temperature for oxygen-enriched operation is increased, the
NOx concentration is still lower than that for conventional operation because of
the flue gas recirculation.

Comparison of CO and NOx concentration

(3) Furnace temperature
Comparison of furnace temperature for the conventional and oxygen-
enriched operation modes is shown in Fig. 5. While the furnace temperature
for conventional operation is approximately 900C, the furnace temperature
for oxygen-enriched operation is greater than 1 000C. Neither distinct
accumulation of clinker on the furnace wall nor any increase in grate bar
temperature was observed during oxygen-enriched operation and stable
combustion was confirmed.

Comparison of furnace temperatures

(4) Dioxins concentration in flue gas at stack and in ash
Concentration of dioxins in the flue gas at the stack is shown in Fig. 7.
Even for conventional operation, the value of dioxins concentration is
0.032ng-TEQ/Nm3, lower than 0.1ng-TEQ/Nm3, and the value for
oxygen enriched operation is much lower and 0.0083 ng-TEQ/Nm3.
It can be concluded that the value of dioxins concentration and emission
is remarkably reduced by oxygen enrichment.

Concentration of DXNs (at the stack)

Relative comparison of dioxins concentration in bottom and fly ash is illustrated
in Fig.8, in which the values for dioxins concentration are also shown. The
values for dioxins concentration in the bottom and fly ash for conventional
operation are 0.012 ng-TEQ/g and 1.03 ng-TEQ/g, while those for oxygen-
enriched operation are 0.0059 ng-TEQ/g and 0.49 ng-TEQ/g respectively.

Concentration of DXNs in bottom ash and fly ash