United States
                                   Environmental Protection
                                   Agency
               EPA/540/M5-88/002
               April 1989
&EPA
                             SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE
                             TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
                          Demonstration  Bulletin

                               Electric Infrared Incineration
                                     Shirco Infrared Systems, Inc.
 TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION: The electric infrared
 incineration  technology  is a  mobile  thermal
 processing system which uses electrically  powered
 silicon  carbide rods to bring the organic waste to
 combustion temperatures and then, to incinerate any
 remaining combustibles in an afterburner. The mobile
 system  is comprised of  four  components:  the
 electric-powered  infrared primary  chamber, a  gas-
 fired secondary  combustion chamber, an emission
 control system,  and  a process  management  and
 monitoring control center.

 Waste  is fed  into  the primary chamber  on a wire
 mesh conveyor belt and exposed  (at temperatures of
 up to 1850°F) to  infrared radiant heat provided by the
 horizontal rows  of  electrically-powered silicon
 carbide  rods  above the  belt (Figure  1). A  blower
 provides air at selected locations  along the  belt  and
 can be used to control the burning rate of the waste
 feed and its location while burning on the belt.

 The ash  material which  drops off the  belt in  the
 primary  chamber  is  quenched  by water sprays
 utilizing scrubber effluent. The ash is  held until  the
 PCS content is determined to be less than 1 ppm.

 Gaseous  volatiles  from the primary  chamber  are
 destroyed in the fired secondary chamber. Gases are
 ducted  through the emissions control system, which
 consists of a venturi scrubber for particulate matter
 and a  packed tower  to  neutralize acid vapor.  An
 induced  draft  blower draws  the cleaned  gases from
 the scrubber into the free standing exhaust stack.

 The scrubber liquid effluent then flows  into a clarifier
 where  scrubber  sludge settles  out  for disposal.
 Finally, the scrubber effluent flows to an effluent tank,
                                    SCC Emission
                                    Outlet Duct
       Kxhamt
       Stick
 Figure 1.  Peak oil Incineration unit process diagram.

through an activated carbon filter for reuse, or to a
POTW tank for disposal.

WASTE APPLICABILITY: This technology is suitable
for organic wastes contained in  soils or sediments.
Liquid organic wastes can also  be handled once they
are mixed with sand or soil.

DEMONSTRATION RESULTS: Demonstration of the
electric furnace was carried out at full-scale at an oil
refinery site near Tampa, Florida,  from August 1 to 4,
1987.  As part  of the removal  operation  by  EPA
Region IV, a nominal 100-ton per day Shirco

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                                   United States
                                   Environmental Protection
                                   Agency
               EPA/540/M5-88/Q02
               April 1989
f/EPA
                             SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE
                             TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
                           Demonstration  Bulletin

                                Electric Infrared  Incineration
                                     Shirco Infrared Systems, Inc.
 TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION: The electric infrared
 incineration  technology  is  a mobile  thermal
 processing system which uses  electrically powered
 silicon  carbide rods  to bring  the organic  waste  to
 combustion temperatures and then, to incinerate any
 remaining combustibles in an afterburner. The mobile
 system  is comprised of  four components: the
 electric-powered infrared  primary chamber, a gas-
 fired secondary combustion chamber,  an  emission
 control system, and  a process management and
 monitoring control center.

 Waste  is fed  into the  primary chamber on a wire
 mesh conveyor belt and exposed (at temperatures  of
 up to 1850°F)  to infrared radiant heat provided by the
 horizontal rows  of  electrically-powered  silicon
 carbide rods above  the belt  (Figure 1).  A blower
 provides air at  selected locations along  the belt and
 can be used to control the burning rate  of the waste
 feed and its location while burning on  the belt.

 The  ash  material which drops off  the belt in the
 primary  chamber  is  quenched by water  sprays
 utilizing scrubber effluent.  The ash is held until the
 PCS content is determined to be less than 1 ppm.

 Gaseous  volatiles  from the primary chamber are
 destroyed in the fired  secondary chamber. Gases are
 ducted  through the emissions control system, which
 consists of a venturi  scrubber  for particulate matter
 and  a  packed  tower to neutralize  acid vapor. An
 induced draft blower  draws the cleaned gases from
 the scrubber into the free standing exhaust stack.

 The scrubber liquid effluent then flows into a clarifier
 where  scrubber  sludge settles out for  disposal.
 Finally, the scrubber effluent flows to an effluent tank,
    Emission Duct
       tlxtuuct
       Suck
                                    SCC Emission
                                    Outlet Duct
           — Scrubber  — Venturi |  Quench —
                   1  Sludge t(
                   '  Dispoul
 Figure 1.  Peak oil Incineration unit process diagram.

through  an activated carbon filter for reuse, or to a
POTW tank for disposal.

WASTE APPLICABILITY: This technology is suitable
for organic wastes contained in soils  or sediments.
Liquid organic wastes can also be handled once they
are mixed with sand or soil.

DEMONSTRATION RESULTS: Demonstration  of the
electric furnace was carried out at full-scale at  an oil
refinery site near Tampa, Florida, from August 1 to 4,
1987.  As part  of  the removal  operation  by  EPA
Region IV, a nominal 100-ton per day Shirco

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