STUDY OF PLASMA TORCH TECHNOLOGY FOR USE IN MUNCIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL

WASTE DISPOSAL IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA

53:159 “Air Pollution Control Engineering”

Professor Keri Hornbuckle

BY:

Johnathan LarsenJennifer Pratt&RaShelle Russell

Presentation Agenda

Introduction Background The treatment technology Significance Research Schematic Webpage Overview

Introduction Many municipal areas are need of new strategies to deal

with their solid waste. The cities of Cedar Rapids and Marion, IA have been dealing with this issue, and have considered incineration processes as a way to minimize their solid waste. There has been opposition to a new landfill, and a group in the Marion area proposed a process called PLASMA TORCH TECHNOLOGY.

Issues to address:

Is plasma torch a wise investment for treating MSW? Can plasma torch be used to melt existing landfills by

90% as technology experts claim? What type of financial investment are we talking about? What types of environmental permits are required? What kind of pollution does the technology emit? How is the waste air treated? What are the benefits and disadvantages?

http://www.geocities.com/plasmatorchtech/landfill.html

Background

U S Annually Produces 230 Million Tons of MSW 30% is Recycled 14% is Incinerated 56%, or About 130 Million Tons, is sent to a landfill

Energy Act of 2005 Recognizes MSW as a Renewable Energy Source Energy in U. S. Solid Waste is Nearly 10

Times That Available From Wind Power

Background: Landfilling

Source: http://www.opala.org/recycling_at_home/how_city_manages_waste.html

• Landfilling is a typical waste disposal method used in the U.S. today.

• Produces greenhouse gases and leaves behind toxic liquids that can escape

• Landfill gas (mostly methane) burned without air pollution control for 20 years after closure

Source: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/mswaste/msw.html

Background: Thermal methods of solid waste disposal

Methods include incineration, gasification, and pyrolysis.

Pyrolysis is form of gasification carried out in the complete absence of oxygen.

There are 3 main stages in the process: ►waste breakdown

►gas cleaning

►conversion to power

Background:Incineration

Emits gas and small particles from smoke stack

Usually have modern pollution control technology: scrubbers, lime injection, bag filtration

Produces heat, bottom ash, and fly ash Ash must be landfilled

Source: http://www.howproductsimpact.net/exchanges/disposalincineration.htm

What is a Plasma Torch?• Ionized gas that conducts

electricity• "the fourth state of matter“• NASA developed plasma

heating technology in 1960's• Torch converts energy from

electrical to thermal• Controlled plasma "fields"

generated from steady gas flow (N2, O2, or air) between electrodes

• Ionized gas creates intensely hot "plume“

• Average temperature around 6,000 Celsius

PLASMA TORCH TECHNOLOGY Plasma created using almost

any type of gas heated to extreme temps

Breaks down waste on a molecular level leaving little behind

About double the price of traditional methods of landfilling and incineration

Produces energy at a smaller ratio to used energy than a traditional waste to energy incinerator facility

Produces a very stable glassy rock that is non leachable, non toxic. Great for use as gravel another way that plasma torch generates income

Plasma Torch Technology

Reduces gas volume requiring treatment All known contaminants effectively treated or

remediated

SCHEMATIC

In-situ Plasma Reactor

Heat in reactor pulls apart the organic molecular structure of the waste to create a simpler gaseous structure: CO, H2, and CO2

- the inorganic waste is vitrified (melted)- the organic and hydrocarbon waste is

gasified• Advantages – better heat transfer• Disadvantages – potential corrosive effect on

the torch itself

Control Devices Used to Create Clean Syn-Gas

Syngas (Product) Gas Composition

Gas Cleanup

•85% of the particulates are removed in a cyclone

•Recovered particulate and metals are then injected into the molten glass

•The vitrified glass material passes EPA leachability tests.Scrubber HCL scrubbed form dilute HCL water

•Liquid series of nano filter membranes remove PM/metal

•The water in the gas is condensed out and is used to provide clean makeup water for the rest of the plant.

•H2S scrubbed out for fertilizer or converted to sodium bisulfite.

•Finally Gas Compressor and Turbine

Byproduct UsesProcess of Molten Stream

Air Cooling (Gravel)

Water Cooling (Sand)

Water Cooling (Metal Nodules)

Air Blown (Rock Wool)

Uses For Product

Coarse Aggregate-roads, concrete, asphalt

Fine Aggregate-concrete, asphalt, concrete products

Recyclable metals

Insulation, sound proofing, agriculture

One More Use for Plasma TorchRemediation of already landfilled waste

Where is Plasma Torch Used

NSPS ComplianceMetal Permissible

Concentration (mg/L)Concentration

Measured in Slag (mg/L)

Arsenic 5 <.1

Barium 100 <.5

Cadmium 1 <.02

Chromium 5 <.2

Lead 5 <.2

Mercury .2 <.01

Selenium 1 <.1

Silver 5 <.5

Source: USEPA NSPS: 40:CFR 60.52b

How Plasma Technology Differs from currently used technologies:

Oakdale campus uses batch process- pathological waste incinerator

Fueled by Natural Gas 600-800 lb capacity Primary pollutant

emitted is particulate Uses afterburner for air

pollution control

Oakdale Incinerator Unit for Radioactive solid waste

Oakdale Incinerator Unit for Radioactive solid waste

Benefits: Waste volume

reduction Cost Savings due to vol

reduction

Disadvantages: Maintenance is very

demanding, particularly because the system is not used constantly.

Oakdale Incinerator: System Controls

Permit Requirements:

Construction Permit from IDNR

IAC-567-23.4(12)

Max capacity = 130 lbs/hour License for system

Comparison of Plasma and Incineration

Feature Incineration Plasma Torch

Volume Reduction 5:1 250:1

Weight Reduction 3:1 9:1

Integral Smoke Stack Require 100-300 ft N/A

Increase in Moisture Content

Increases Harmful emissions

No effect

Temperature Control Requires secondary fuel, may have cold spots

Easily Maintained

Air Emissions Can exceed standards Clean by-product gas

Landfill Requirements Bottom Ash-Leachable/Fly Ash- Toxic

None

Commercial by-products Heat for electricity Gas for electricity, Slag for resale

Emission Parameter

Units U.S. EPA Limits Measured Output from Utashinai,Japan

Dioxins/Furans Ng/dscm .13 .01

Particulates Mg/dscm 24 6.8

HCL Gas ppmv 25 7

NOx Gas ppmv 150 83

SO2 Gas ppmv 20 2

CO ppmv 100 <12

Considering Air Pollution Regulations

Source: USEPA NSPS: 40:CFR 60.52b

Significance: Cost Comparison

Expensive to operate plasma torch at 3000 °C If government helped fund could be a viable

option If energy production desired, more money needed

to store energy produced Cost depends on size of facility if energy were to

be sold No comparisons for future, too new Would require a 30-40 percent higher equity

contribution or government support

Cost Continued

Plasma and WTE make money 3 ways: Electricity, tipping fees, and sale of other outputs

Electricity depends on rate

Tipping fees depend on magnitude, operation cost, etc.. Currently 35 $ per ton most likely increase to 75 $ per ton

Sale of ash, slag usually between 0-25 $ per ton

Research

• How much energy can be produced?

• What waste is at the landfill?

• Complete combustion of samples using a bomb calorimeter with pressurized oxygen

• Combustion reaction

Experimental Procedure Samples weighed and placed in bomb calorimeter Mass water placed in the calorimeter surrounding

the “bomb” Bomb secured tightly and pressurized to 20 atm of

oxygen inside bomb Bomb placed in calorimeter and lid secured and

stirring began

Experimental Procedure Continued The initial temperature of water taken and

bomb ignited The highest change in water temperature

taken Done for various samples known to be in the

landfill C6H10O5 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 5H2O

Materials Analyzed

Food, wood, plastics and paper done with bomb calorimeter

62 % of landfill compositionComposition Of Landfill by Mass Percent

25%

15%

6%2%2%

12%

10%

9%

5%

4%

1% 3% 2%3%

1%

Paper

Plastic

Metal

Glass

Yard Waste

Food Waste

Wood

Demolition Debris

Durables

Textile and Leathers

Diaper

Rubber

Household Hazardous Material

Other Organic

Other Inorganic

Data collected

Change in water temperature determines how much energy was added to the water from combustion

Q=m Cp ΔT

Cp = 4186 J / (kg °C) Represents all of

energy release from combustion

Sample Q ( Btu/ lb )

Food 5187.33

Plastic 14511.7

Wood 21740.3

Paper 5617.47

Data Analysis

The majority of energy comes from the food, wood, plastic and paper

Using the mass fraction of components in landfill and average of heat of combustion the energy per mass can be found for combusting the municipal waste

Conclusions• Significant energy contained in landfill could be utilized to

produce power• Plasma technology is better for the environment however it costs

more• Both plasma technology and waste to energy cost more than

land filling but are better for environment• Either plasma torch tech or waste to energy facility will lower the

waste space at the landfill• Plasma torch technology is cleaner for the environment• Economic comparison between plasma technology and waste to

energy is difficult due to differences in the processes• More energy is recovered in the plasma torch technology than

the waste to energy process

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Project website is found at:

www.geocities.com/plasmatorchtech

References

Beck, R.W. (2003). City of Honolulu Review of Plasma Arc Gasification and Vitrification Technology for Waste Disposal. Retrieved February 17, 2006 from, http://www.opala.org/TECH/plasma/PlasmaArc.pdf

Franzman, D. (2005). Alternative in Landfill Battle. Retrieved February 17, 2006 from, http://www.kcrg.com/article.aspx?art_id=98667&cat_id=123

Iowa DNR Waste Management. Retrieved from http://www.iowadnr.com/waste/index.html

Sioux City Journal. (2005). Legislators, Regulators Discuss Plasma Torch Technology. Retrieved February 17, 2006 from, http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/ 2005/11/25/news/iowa/392b9c94861de492862570c400138f7b.prt

Yando, A. (n.d.) Plasma Energy Pyrolysis System. Retrieved February 17, 2006 from http://www.jdmag.wpafb.af.mil/peps.pdf

QUESTIONS????