Solid and Hazardous Waste Disposal at Eastern Coal Gasification and Liquefaction Facilities

摘要

This study is designed to provide an examination of solid waste disposal options at synthetic fuels facilities. This first study is limited to the Northeastern-Appalachian region of the U.S., and to three technologies (solvent refined coal (SRC-II), slagging Lurgi, and dry ash Lurgi). This report is further limited to an examination of landfill disposal, for both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. An attempt is made to deal with site-specific environmental impacts, involving engineering calculations and design analysis in such a way as to provide some generic understanding of the trade-offs to be considered. The report begins with a discussion of the surrogate sites used for analysis, and provides the rational for the set of alternative combinations of topography, soils, and hydrogeological conditions selected for the representative locations. The necessary background on the technologies themselves, and the major characteristics of the waste streams that must be accommodated in the disposal facilities are provided. The rudiments of landfill design and the process of site-specific analysis by selecting fill configurations at each facility are discussed. Analysis of the hydrologic balance, using a model developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency, follows. A discussion is presented on site preparation, liners and covers which are fundamental to the question of design and the degree of risk of aquifer contamination. Actual leachate calculations are included. The analysis is based on some simple ion exchange and hydrologic mixing models that do not purport to substitute for more sophisticated techniques, but do provide credible first-order estimates of the key parameters. These calculations are a function of landfill configuration and cover design alternatives, and the analysis is therefore presented in parametric fashion. An economic analysis is presentd; the intent is to analyze trade-offs between cost and the probability of aquifer contamination.