United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA/540/MR-93/522
September 1993
SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
Demonstration Bulletin
,L
Gas-Phase Chemical Reduction
?
Eco Logic International, Inc.
Technology Description: The patented Eco Logic Pro-
cess employs a gas-phase reduction reaction of hydrogen with
organic and chlorinated organic compounds at elevated tempera-
tures to convert aqueous and oily hazardous contaminants into a
hydrocarbon-rich gas product. After passing through a scrubber,
the gas product's primary components are hydrogen, nitrogen,
methane, carbon monoxide, water vapor, and other lighter hydro-
carbons. Most of this gas recirculates in the process while excess
gas can be compressed and stored or used as supplementary
fuel for the system's propane-fired boiler.
The gas-phase reduction reaction takes place within a specially-
designed reactor. Nozzles, mounted tangentially around the top
of the reactor, inject a mixture of atomized waste, steam, and
hydrogen into this cylindrical vessel. As the mixture swirls down
between the outer reactor wall and a centra! ceramic tube, it
N* -J
H0 _
passes a series of electric glo-bar heaters. By the time the
mixture enters the ports at the bottom of the ceramic tube, it has
been heated to at least 850°C. The gas-phase reduction reaction
takes place as the gases enter the ceramic tube and travel up
toward the scrubber.
The scrubber removes hydrogen chloride, heat, water, and par-
ticulate matter from the gas stream. When processing wastes
with low organic content, approximately 95 percent of the hydro-
gen-rich gas recirculates back to the reactor; the remaining 5 %
can be used as supplementary fuel for a propane-fired boiler that
produces steam to preheat the waste. Processing waste with a
high-organic content produces excess gas product, which can be
compressed and stored for later analysis and disposal. The
reactor, scrubber, boiler, and auxiliary equipment are mounted on
two standard, drop-deck, highway trailers. A computerized prc>
Reactor sludge And Decant
Gnt Water Slowdown
Propane
Combustion
. Air
Figure 1. Reactor System Schematic
Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
cass control system allows the operator to monitor process vari-
ables such as temperature, pressure, hydrogen content, and
oxygen levels. In addition, Eco Logic employs an on-line chemical
tonlzation mass spectrometer (CIMS) to continuously monitor se-
lected organic compounds.
Waste Applicability: The Eco Logic Process is designed to
treat polychlorinated blphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydro-
carbons (PAHs), chlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans, chlori-
nated solvents, chtorobenzenes, and chlorophenols. The SITE
Demonstration proved that the process can achieve 99.9999%
destruction and removal efficiencies for PCBs in waste streams at
concentrations ranging from 4600 ppm in a contaminated aque-
ous mixture to 24.5% in waste oils that contain chlorinated sol-
vents and other hydrocarbons.
Demonstration Results: The U.S. SPA'S Superfund Inno-
vative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program, in cooperation with
Environment Canada, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and
Energy, and the City of Bay City, conducted a demonstration of
the Eco Logic Process at the Middleground Landfill in Bay City,
Michigan during October and November 1992. This demonstra-
tion was conducted under a TSCA Research & Development
permit. The formal test program consisted of two separate waste
feod conditions:
• a wastewater containing an average 4600 ppm PCBs
* a waste oil containing an average 24.5% PCBs
Both feeds were tested in triplicate. In addition to the analytical
test program, EPA conducted a 72-hour engineering performance
test. In a companion program conducted at the Bay City site, Eco
Logic demonstrated their proprietary thermal desorption unit, de-
signed to process soils. This test is the subject of a separate set
of SITE reports.
Key findings from the Eco Logic demonstration are summarized
below:
* At least 99.9999% destruction and removal efficiency (ORE) for
PCBs during all test runs
A 99.99% destruction efficiency (DE) for perchloroethylene, a
tracer compound, during all test runs
Net destruction of trace feedstockdioxin and furan compounds
during all test runs
Successful completion of a 72-hour engineering performance
test
Throughput (tons/day)
Oily Waste
Water/Oil Waste
Nominal Design
4
10
Demonstrated Rate
2.3
7.0
EPA will publish an Applications Analysis Report and a Technol-
ogy Evaluation Report in the fall of 1993. These reports will
address all tests results in detail, including a complete analysis of
process inputs, intermediates, and outputs observed during the
demonstration. Among the items covered will be an analysis of
the products of incomplete combustion, hydrogen chloride emis-
sions, and criteria air pollutants. System reliability, mass bal-
ances, costs, and safety will also be addressed.
For Further Information Contact:
SITE Project Manager
Gordon M. Evans
U.S. EPA
Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
26 W. Martin L King Dr.
Cincinnati, OH 45268
(513)-569-7684
Jim Nash
Business Development Manager
Eco Logic International, Inc.
143 Dennis St.
Rockwood, Ontario NOB 2KO
Canada
(519)-856-9591 •U.S.Govarmtwnt Priming Offico: 1993—750-071/80098
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Center for Environmental Research Information
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
BULK RATE
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT No. G-35
EPA/S4Q/MR-93/522
------- |