ASME/US Bureau of Mines investigative program on vitrification of combustion ash/residue: findings and conclusions

摘要

Vitrification of the residues from thermal processes into a dense, glass-like material may provide an opportunity to permanently relieve our concerns regarding aquifer contamination and, if the vitrified products are utilized, conserves those land areas which are suitable for disposal for those discards for which we have not as yet found a practical use. This discussion briefly describes and illustrates the implementation of the $1.2 million ASME/BuMines investigative program; the scope and methods followed, equipment systems employed, areas of investigation, findings and conclusions in determining the potential effectiveness of sequentially vitrifying significant quantities of ash/residue from three different types of mass burning municipal solid waste energy recovery facilities, a regional wastewater treatment plant sludge combustor, and air quality control products from a large refuse derived fuel energy recovery facility while utilizing for this purpose a fraction of the electric energy recovered; identifying potential beneficial applications for the resulting products, the environmental implications and projected overall economics.