DEMONSTRATION OF PLASMA ARC ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS FOR THE DEMIL OF DOD STOCKPILES

摘要

Since 1989 the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center - Construction Engineering ResearchrnLaboratory (ERDC-CERL) has been an active participant in the research and development toward establishingrnPlasma Arc Technology as an efficient, economical, and safe hazardous waste immobilization tool. A plasma torchrncapable of generating high temperatures makes this technology a viable and powerful tool for the thermal destructionrnof various military industrial waste streams into an innocuous ceramic material no longer requiring hazardousrnwaste landfill (Class I) disposal. The emerging plasma environmental thermal treatment process, has been used tornsafely and efficiently meet the waste disposal needs for various demilitarized components, such as: pyrotechnicrnsmoke assemblies, thermal batteries, proximity fuses, cartridge actuated devices (CAD’s), and propellant actuatedrndevices (PAD’s).rnMSE Technology Applications, Inc., (MSE) has proposed and fabricated a Mobile Plasma Treatment Systemrn(MPTS) to be a technology demonstrator for pilot-scale mobile plasma waste processing. The system is capable ofrnproviding small-scale waste remediation services, and conducting waste stream applicability demonstrations. ThernMPTS’s innovative concept provides the flexibility to treat waste streams at numerous sites with only a limitedrnquantity of waste that is too hazardous to transport to a regional fixed facility. The system was designed to be operatedrnas skid mounted modules; consisting of a furnace module, controls module, off-gas module, and ancillary systemsrnmodule. All system components have been integrated to be operated from a single control station with bothrnsemi-continuous feeding and batch slag-pouring capability.rnFunctional testing and demonstration testing were successfully completed in the Fall of 1999. This paper willrnintroduce the MPTS process design, and show fabricated assemblies, as well as the results of testing up-to-date. In arnfactory acceptance test conducted in mid September ’99 the NO_x reduction system maintained NO_x concentrationrnbelow the required emission limitation. Experimental feed batches weighing =2,000 Ibs and consisting of five CADrnitems and two PAD items were tested in seven separate tests. The presentation will report on the various aspects ofrntest results including safety, volatile metals emission, chlorine removal, and dioxin emissions evaluation.