Concentration of Atmospheric Pollutants in the Gaseous Emissions of Medical Waste Incinerators

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the production of medical waste from a general hospital and to evaluate the atmospheric pollutant concentrations in gaseous emissions associated with its incineration. A 3.8 kg (bed.day)^-1 production of medical waste was estimated for 1998; its incineration is related with an ash production of 0.3-0.4 kg (bed.day)^-1. The concentrations of atmospheric pollutants were estimated using emission factors, comparing the effluents with and without control of atmospheric pollutants. The calculated concentrations were compared with the emission limits established by Portuguese legislation. The results indicate that, if there is no control of atmospheric pollutants, their concentrations exceed the established limits. This is observed even if correct operation and maintenance procedures are used. The emission concentrations of dioxins are higher than the Portuguese emission limit, which is particularly worrying due to the high toxicity of some of these compounds. Generally, it is possible to reduce pollutant concentrations if appropriate control equipment is used. The conclusions obtained clearly justify the great concern regarding air pollution associated with medical waste incinerators currently operating in Portugal.     

城市下水污泥焚烧过程中二次污染物排放特性的试验研究

在0．15MWt循环流化床燃烧试验台上进行了城市下水污泥与煤的混烧试验，分析了烟气中的二次污染物排放特性。分析结果表明，利用循环流化床焚烧城市下水污泥时，添加辅助燃料（如煤）及改变焚烧条件，不仅可以达到稳定燃烧的目的，而且有利于抑制焚烧中二次污染物（如CO及二恶英等有机污染物）的生成。分析了焚烧污泥污染物的排放特性。为采用焚烧方式处理城市下水污泥提供了基础性试验数据。     

城市下水污泥焚烧过程中二次污染物排放特性的试验研究

在0.15 MWt循环流化床燃烧试验台上进行了城市下水污泥与煤的混烧试验,分析了烟气中的二次污染物排放特性.分析结果表明,利用循环流化床焚烧城市下水污泥时,添加辅助燃料(如煤)及改变焚烧条件,不仅可以达到稳定燃烧的目的,而且有利于抑制焚烧中二次污染物(如CO及二恶英等有机污染物)的生成.分析了焚烧污泥污染物的排放特性,为采用焚烧方式处理城市下水污泥提供了基础性试验数据.     

危险废物回转式流化冷渣多段焚烧系统焚烧特性研究

危险废物的处理和处置是摆在我国各级市政府面前的紧迫任务。然而我国已经运行的危险废物焚烧装置普遍存在回转窑挂壁结渣、热灼减率偏高和污染排放超标等问题,作者通过将回转窑和流化床特点相结合的方法提出了一种新型危险废物回转式流化冷渣多段焚烧处置装置。该装置采用回转窑(一燃室)、二燃室和流化床结合的热解-流化焚烧工艺,特别是采用控制窑头温度避免了回转窑挂壁结渣;采用流化冷渣装置延长未燃烬渣的焚烧时间,解决了热灼减率偏高问题;水冷式烟气急冷装置可以将烟气温度从1 100℃降到200℃,防止了二恶英的尾部低温再生成。该系统运行稳定可靠,可以处理医疗垃圾和大多数的固态和液态危险废物,实现了烟气污染物尤其是二恶英排放达到国家标准的目标。同时对该系统运行时窑头温度分布、二燃室炉膛出口氧量变化、回转窑和炉膛升温特性、燃烧室外壁温度分布等几方面运行数据都进行了详细的介绍,为危险废物焚烧炉的运行提供了宝贵的经验数据。     

医疗废弃物焚烧挥发性氯含量与热值测试与估算

通过测定上海某医疗废弃物处置公司设定燃烧工况条件下某时间段内烟气中HC l的平均排放速率,估算出上海地区医疗垃圾废物中的可燃烧转化氯含量在2.33%~2.64%左右;通过测定各较小采样时间段(2 m in)的烟气HC l浓度测定发现批次进料造成烟气中HC l浓度近4倍的波动,通过初步的热平衡估算得到医疗废弃物的热值大致在21.8 M J/kg,得到的结果可为我国医疗废弃物的焚烧工艺设计提供基础依据。     

Boundary Layer Emission Monitoring

A new methodology is described for determining the atmospheric emission rate of pollutants from large heterogeneous area sources, such as hazardous waste sites. The procedure hinges upon measuring average pollutant concentrations, at three or more different elevations, while traversing the plume downwind of the area source. A helium-filled tethersonde balloon is used to elevate the sampling lines to their appropriate height. During plume traversing the sampling rate is adjusted to be proportional to the sine of the angle between the wind vector and the direction of the traverse path. The average concentrations are corrected for any upwind, background concentration and then used to derive an average vertical concentration profile. This profile Is numerically integrated, with the wind velocity profile, over the pollutant boundary layer to yield the area source emission rate. The methodology was tested on several large industrial effluent lagoons and proved to be easy to use, robust, and precise.     

Contribution of stack gases and solid process wastes to the organic pollutant output of thermal waste treatment plants

Within the scope of fundamental investigations as well as individual research projects (W. Knorr, B. Hentschel, C. Marb. S. Sch?del, M. Swerev, O. Vierle, J.-P. Lay, 1999. Rückst?nde aus der Müllverbrennung-Chancen für eine stoffliche Verwertung von Aschen und Schlacken. Initiativen zum Umweltschutz, 13 ed., Deutsche Bundesstiftung Ulmwelt, Erich Schmidt, Berlin), the Bavarian State Office for Environmental Protection performs emission measurements at thermal waste treatment plants to optimize operation, to accompany and support development of new technologies, and to study the effect of this kind of waste treatment technology on the environment. Based on recent studies (October 1995-July 1999) at six municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWI) in Bavaria all emission streams (solid and gas) are characterized with respect to organic pollutant contents and compared to the emissions of waste pyrolysis. The significant ranges of pollutant concentration as well as the specific congener patterns observed are similar for all MSWI, regardless of differences in technical design and waste input, but differ markedly from those of the pyrolysis products. The overall approach, including the sampling of all output streams and the determination of mass streams and volume flow rates, allows the calculation of the total output of different organic pollutants for waste incineration plants aand to estimate the relative contribution of each of the emission streams to the total pollutant load. Removal efficiencies are also calculated for the air pollution control (APC) systems of the different MSWI plants.     

Comparison of European national legislation efficiency on the reduction of air pollutant emissions

Since 1995, the Institute for Environment and Development in Portugal has obtained >300 stack samples from various point sources of Portuguese industries. A coherent database was made with the collected results. The limit values fixed by several European legal documents consulted, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, and Dutch emission legislation, were applied to the Institute for Environment and Development stack sampling inventory (from 1995 to 2000) to evaluate the efficiency of these standards in promoting the control and reduction of atmospheric pollutants emissions, especially regarding nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter. The conclusion was that the original Portuguese legislation was not restrictive enough and not very efficient regarding emissions reduction. In contrast, the Dutch and Italian legislations are quite restrictive but very efficient concerning emission control for the three pollutants analyzed. One of the outcomes of this study was the publication of a new law in Portugal regulating the emissions of atmospheric pollutants. The strategy of this emissions control law follows the conclusions found in this study including the concept of a mass flow threshold and different approaches depending on source dimension.     

城市生活垃圾在机械炉排炉内焚烧过程研究及数值模拟

研究城市生活垃圾在机械炉排炉内焚烧过程,建立了垃圾在炉排炉移动床内燃烧过程中垃圾体积变化、水分蒸发、挥发分析出及燃烧、垃圾颗粒的移动、气-固两相热传递、焦炭燃烧等各个反应阶段的热化学模型,采用一维非稳态模型分别建立了床层内气固两相介质控制方程。通过对炉排上垃圾焚烧过程的数值模拟研究,获得料层中温度分布、料层高度、炉床机械负荷、气相中反应物组分和污染物浓度分布。利用建立的模型对某大型垃圾焚烧炉的燃烧过程进行数值仿真,对燃烧过程、烟气成分进行预测,为垃圾焚烧炉排炉的设计和燃烧控制提供理论依据。     

Application of Gas-Aerosol Adsorption Data to the Selection of Air Quality Standards

A quantitative approach is presented for selecting air quality standards which take into account pollutant gas-aerosol synergistic effects. These synergistic health effects have been postulated to be due to the adsorption or absorption of the pollutant gas by the aerosol particles. The approach presented in this paper assumes that the synergistic toxic agent is the adsorbed pollutant gas. Therefore, limiting the concentration of the adsorbed pollutant gas limits the magnitude of the synergistic effects. The concentration of the adsorbed pollutant gas is related to the concentrations of the gaseous phase pollutant gas and the atmospheric aerosol using the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. An example is presented of the selection of air quality standards for sulfur dioxide and the atmospheric aerosol using concentration data for these two pollutants along with health effect data.     

Occurrences and inventories of heavy metals and brominated flame retardants in wastes from printed circuit board production

Pollutants including heavy metals and brominated flame retardant were detected in 10 types of production wastes from a typical printed circuit board manufacturing plant, and their inventories were estimated. Rinsing water from etching process had the highest concentrations of copper (665.51 mg/L), lead (1.02 mg/L), nickel (3.60 mg/L), chromium (0.97 mg/L), and tin (1.79 mg/L). Powdered solid waste (SW) from the cut lamination process contained the highest tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) levels (49.86 mg/kg). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were absent in this plant, in agreement with the international regulations of PBDE phase out. The pollutant inventories in the wastes exhibited in the order of copper >?>?zinc?>?tin?≈?nickel?>?lead?>?chromium >?>?TBBPA. The potential environmental impact of pollutants in SW during production and disposal were further investigated. A high partitioning of pollutant concentration between the total suspended particle and SW (?0.10?K _TS?相似文献   

回转窑式纯氧熔融焚烧垃圾技术研究

生活垃圾安全无害化处理是目前迫切需要解决的问题,直接气化熔融焚烧垃圾技术以降低二恶英排放方面巨大优势得到广泛关注,在此基础上提出纯氧熔融焚烧垃圾技术,几乎可以实现所有二次污染物近零排放。以350 t/d回转窑垃圾焚烧炉为例,对纯氧代替空气应用在回转窑上熔融焚烧垃圾系统进行了详细热力计算及分析。结果表明,纯氧熔融焚烧垃圾系统的锅炉效率可达90.56%,回转窑熔融焚烧系统还可以在垃圾焚烧后灰渣达到熔融温度的条件下,保持该系统热量平衡,稳定燃烧。并参考回转窑设计标准对该纯氧熔融焚烧城市生活垃圾的回转窑参数进行确定。     

Steps towards a European dioxin emission inventory

The results of a project aiming at collection and evaluation of information regarding the industrial and non-industrial emission sources for dioxins and furans (PCDD/PCDF) in 17 European Countries (EU 15, CH, N) are presented. An overview about national documents covering dioxin emission inventories for the period 1990-1995 is given. Some data on emissions associated with residual materials, waste and waste water are presented additionally. Based on the air emission data contained in these documents the most important emission sources were determined which are assumed to cover about 90% of the overall emissions. For the selected sources and for all 17 countries new estimates of the atmospheric PCDD/PCDF emissions were derived from average emission factors and statistical activity rates for the year 1994. As a result, on the European scale the largest annual PCDD/PCDF emission is assessed to be released from municipal waste incineration, quite closely followed by emissions from iron ore sintering. Considerable releases of dioxins and furans--based, however, on highly uncertain data--are further assessed for domestic burning, accidental fires and (former) use of contaminated wood preservatives (pentachlorophenol). A lower but still significant emission is further assigned to the sector of non-ferrous metal production; particular processes used in this branch proved to generate very high PCDD/PCDF flue gas concentrations.     

Assessment of 2010 air quality in two Alpine valleys from modelling: Weather type and emission scenarios

Alpine valleys are sensitive to anthropogenic emissions. Local atmospheric dynamics are a key factor that may lead to an accumulation of pollutants in the bottom of the Chamonix and Maurienne valleys. Assessment of 2010 pollutant concentrations variability needs to take these specificities into account. A meteorological data classification is combined with different emission scenarios in order to run an air quality model. Using simulations of representative scenarios rather than complete years allows for a fine spatial and temporal representation of local atmospheric dynamics and gives access to detailed chemical breakdowns. Results demonstrate the variability of primary and secondary species due to emissions and the predominance of local effects on pollutant concentrations.     

Reduction of combustion by-products in WTE plants: O2 enrichment of underfire air in the MARTIN SYNCOM process

The SYNCOM process involves oxygen enrichment of underfire air, recirculation of flue gas and a combustion control system using infrared thermography of the waste layer on the grate. At the demonstration plant in Coburg, operational reliability and plant availability using SYNCOM could be proven under real disposal conditions with a waste throughput of 7 t/h. Oxygen enrichment of the underfire air promotes the destruction of pollutants due to the high oxygen partial pressures and temperatures. This is then reflected in very low residual amounts of organic combustion by-products in the bottom ash and flue gas from the SYNCOM unit. The flue gas concentrations of organic pollutants are reduced, as compared with conventional operation, by over 35% (for CO, total hydrocarbons and PCDD/F) at the boiler outlet. As the flue gas flow is reduced by oxygen enrichment and flue gas recirculation, the resulting reduction in terms of kg of pollutant per Mg of waste is even higher. In the bottom ash, the level of organic residues is reduced, by 45% in the case of loss on ignition and by 55% in the case of TOC and dioxins (I-TE of PCDD/F). This is due to the higher oxygen partial pressures and the fuel bed temperature which is increased by 135 to 1200 degrees C. Other important features of the process include more intense sintering and thus improved immobilization of the bottom ash, as well as reduced flue gas and fly ash flows.     

Emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans from various industrial sources

This study characterized the emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) from the stack flue gases of 17 industrial sources, which were classified into 10 categories. The results show that the mean PCDD/PCDF concentration of secondary zinc smelter (Zn-S) and secondary copper smelter (Cu-S) is 2.44 ng international toxic equivalent (I-TEQ)/Nm3 (N represents normal conditions at 0 degrees C, 760 mmHg), which was found to be significantly greater than that of industrial waste incinerators (mean concentration = 0.15 ng I-TEQ/Nm3). These results imply that the controlling of secondary metallurgical melting processes is more important than industrial waste incineration for the reduction of PCDD/PCDF emissions. The mean emission factors of cement production, Zn-S and Cu-S, are 0.052, 1.99, and 1.73 microg I-TEQ/t product, respectively. For industrial waste incineration, the mean emission factors of waste rubber, waste liquor, waste sludge, industrial waste solid (IWI)-1, IWI-2, IWI-3, and IWI-4 are 0.752, 0.435, 0.760, 6.64, 1.67, 2.38, and 0.094 microg I-TEQ/t feed, respectively. Most of the PCDD/PCDF emission factors established in this study are less than those reported in previous studies, which could be because of the more stringent regulations for PCDD/PCDF emissions in recent years.     

The historical record of PCB and PCDD/F deposition at Greifensee, a lake of the Swiss plateau, between 1848 and 1999

Dated sediment cores provide an excellent way to investigate the historical input of persistent organic pollutants into the environment and to identify possible sources of pollution. The vertical distribution of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) was investigated in a sediment core from Greifensee to elucidate the historical trends of PCDD/F and PCB inputs between 1848 and 1999. Concentrations of PCB and PCDD/F increased by more than one order of magnitude between 1930 and 1960. PCB and PCDD/F concentrations were 5700 ng/kg dry weight (dw) and 160 ng/kg dw, respectively, in sediments originating from the late 1930s and reached a maximum of 130,000 ng/kg dw and 2400 ng/kg dw, respectively, in the early 1960s. From 1960 on, concentrations decreased to the 1930s level by the mid 1980s. A remarkable shift in the PCDD/F pattern was observed after the early 1940s. Before 1940, the PCDD/F pattern was PCDF dominated (ratio of PCDD to PCDF=0.41+/-0.11), while the PCDD started to be the major species after the early 1940s (ratio of PCDD to PCDF=1.46+/-0.38). The temporal trends of PCB and PCDD/F correlate surprisingly well with each other. This might be due to the coincidence of two factors. The introduction of PCB on the market in the 1930s resulted in emissions due to the widespread use of these industrial chemicals. In the same time period, waste incineration became an increasingly popular way to get rid of garbage, boosting the PCDD/F emissions significantly. The rapid decline of PCDD/F and PCB concentrations in the sediment starting in the early 1960s reflects the result of better emission control techniques in thermal processes and the improvement of waste water treatment in the catchment of Greifensee.     

Curbing dioxin emissions from municipal solid waste incineration in China: Re-thinking about management policies and practices

As one of the countries with large amounts of dioxin releases, the control of dioxins is a major challenge for China. Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration should be considered a high priority source of dioxin emissions because it is playing an increasingly more important role in waste management. MSW incineration in China has much higher emission rates of dioxins than in the developed countries, partially resulting from the gaps in the technologies of incineration and flue gas cleaning. Moreover, the current management policies and practices also contribute significantly to the problem. We recommend lowering dioxin emission standard, strengthening fly ash management, and improving regulation enforcement to reduce dioxin releases into the environment from MSW incineration. We also propose that alternative strategies should be considered on dioxin control and call for an expansion of economic instruments in waste management to reduce waste generation and thus the need for incineration.     

Correlating emissions with time and temperature to predict worst-case emissions from open liquid area sources

The two primary factors influencing ambient air pollutant concentrations are emission rate and dispersion rate. Gaussian dispersion modeling studies for odors, and often other air pollutants, vary dispersion rates using hourly meteorological data. However, emission rates are typically held constant, based on one measured value. Using constant emission rates can be especially inaccurate for open liquid area sources, like wastewater treatment plant units, which have greater emissions during warmer weather, when volatilization and biological activity increase. If emission rates for a wastewater odor study are measured on a cooler day and input directly into a dispersion model as constant values, odor impact will likely be underestimated. Unfortunately, because of project schedules, not all emissions sampling from open liquid area sources can be conducted under worst-case summertime conditions. To address this problem, this paper presents a method of varying emission rates based on temperature and time of the day to predict worst-case emissions. Emissions are varied as a linear function of temperature, according to Henry's law, and a tenth order polynomial function of time. Equation coefficients are developed for a specific area source using concentration and temperature measurements, captured over a multiday period using a data-logging monitor. As a test case, time/temperature concentration correlation coefficients were estimated from field measurements of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at the Rowlett Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Garland, TX. The correlations were then used to scale a flux chamber emission rate measurement according to hourly readings of time and temperature, to create an hourly emission rate file for input to the dispersion model ISCST3. ISCST3 was then used to predict hourly atmospheric concentrations of H2S. With emission rates varying hourly, ISCST3 predicted 384 acres of odor impact, compared with 103 acres for constant emissions. Because field sampling had been conducted on relatively cool days (85-90 degrees F), the constant emission rate underestimated odor impact significantly (by 73%).     

Post-combustion syntheses of PCDD/F and PBDD/F from halogen-rich fuel is suppressed by a pebble heater technology

GOAL, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Changes in German and European legislation shifted processing of polymer-rich shredding residues (SR) from landfill to thermal treatment. However, when waste of electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) is the source of SR, thermal treatment is complicated by halogens as well as the presence of polybrominated dioxins and furans (PBDD/F) and brominated flame retardants (BFR). Hence, WEEE requires high temperature incineration with sufficient residence times. Post-combustion synthesis of polyhalogenated dioxins and furans (PXDD/F) is dominant in the temperature range between 250-450 degrees C. Thus, a very rapid gas cooling from 450 degrees to 250 degrees C is important for proper raw gas treatment. The pebble heater technology developed by ATZ Entwicklungszentrum (Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany) might serve as an alternative to the state-of-the-art quench cooling. It is based on the application of a pebble bed of natural bulk material, which the exhaust gases flows through radially. It provides an excellent heat transfer and a temperature gradient in the range of 1,500-2,000 K/m. The paper presents data of a pilot application of the pebble heater technology for the treatment of raw gas derived from the incineration of polymeric materials from WEEE. METHODS: A liquid fuel was chosen in order to minimise technical modifications of the plant. It was analysed for halogens by x-ray fluorescence, for brominated flame retardants by HPLC-UV/MS and for PXDD/F by GC-HRMS. Combustion gases were rapidly cooled down to temperatures below 200 degrees C and emissions of PBDD/F and PCDD/ F were estimated without further off-gas treatment. PBDD/F emissions were computed as PCDD/F toxicity equivalents applying two different calculation approaches. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: PCDD/F emissions accounted for 0.04 ng I-TEQ/Nm3 and are in compliance with European emission limits. Calculated PBDD/F toxicity equivalents exceeded the emission limit of 0.1 ng I-TEQ/Nm3 by factors of 75 and 208 depending on the calculation approach. A mass balance of PBDD/F and PCDD/F congeners revealed an efficient elimination of more than 95% in most cases. Lower reduction rates (76% for 2,3,7,8-TeBDF and 82% for 1,2,3,7,8-PeBDF) were attributed to incomplete combustion. An intended recovery of halogens by one-stage scrubbing downstream of the pebble heater was ineffective, recovering 28% of the applied chlorine and 9% of the bromine, only. CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot incineration test indicates that the pebble heater technology can effectively suppress a post-combustion synthesis of PCDD/F and PBDD/F, resulting in low PCDD/F emission levels without further off-gas treatment. The presented data state that WEEE is sensible to incomplete combustion, which will lead to increased PBDD/F emissions without increasing PCDD/F emission limits. This finding is especially relevant for small and low-technical incineration appliances, which have been reported to treat WEEE in developing countries and are considered to serve as a significant source of PXDD/F these days. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: Monitoring of PCDD/F emissions only might considerably underestimate the total emission of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds. It is therefore an ineffective means for assessing resulting health risks, at least for those waste treatment plants which are considered to handle the increasing amounts of PBDD/ F-containing polymers from WEEE in future. Consequently, it is recommended to initiate a screening programme for PXDD/F emissions in large scale incineration facilities which are capable of treating WEEE shredder residues.