&EPA
                         United States
                         Environmental Protection
                         Agency
 EPA/540/SR-93/522
 September 1994
                         SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE
                         TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
                         Technology  Demonstration
                         Summary

                         ECO LOGIC  International Gas-
                         Phase Chemical Reduction
                         Process and Thermal Desorption
                         Unit,  Middleground Landfill,  Bay
                         City,  Ml
                          ELI Eco Logic International, Inc. (ECO
                         LOGIC)  has developed a gas-phase
                         chemical reduction process (reactor),
                         along with a companion thermal des-
                         orption unit (TDU), for the treatment of
                         liquids and  soils contaminated with
                         polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and
                         other chlorinated  compounds. Under
                         the auspices of the Superfund Innova-
                         tive Technology Evaluation (SITE) Pro-
                         gram, and in cooperation with the city
                         of Bay City (Michigan), Environment
                         Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of the
                         Environment and Energy, the EPA con-
                         ducted the demonstration of the ECO
                         LOGIC  process at  Bay  City's
                         Middleground Landfill during 28 days
                         in October through December,  1992.
                          This Summary  was developed by
                         EPA's Risk Reduction Engineering
                         Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, to announce
                         key findings of the SITE program dem-
                         onstration that is fully documented in
                         separate reports  (see  ordering infor-
                         mation at back).
Introduction
  In 1986, the U.S. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency's Office of Solid Waste
and Emergency Response (OSWER) and
the Office of Research and Development
(ORD) established the SITE program to
promote the development and use of in-
novative technologies to clean up Super-
fund sites across the country. The SITE
program includes four major elements: the
Demonstration Program, the Emerging
Technologies Program, the Measurement
and Monitoring Technologies Program, and
the Technology Transfer Program.
  One SITE component, the Demonstra-
tion Program, provides reliable engineer-
ing, performance,  and  cost  data on
selected hazardous waste technologies.
This information, used in conjunction with
other data, enables EPA and state deci-
sion-makers to select the most appropri-
ate technology for Superfund cleanups.
  The three-part SITE demonstration of
the ECO LOGIC process was conducted
at the Middleground Landfill in Bay  City,
                                                                Printed on Recycled Paper

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Ml, during  26 days  in October  through
December,  1992. The first part (Test Con-
ditions 1 and 3) evaluated only the reactor
system as  it processed  liquids; the  sec-
ond part (Test Condition 2) evaluated the
TDU in combination with the reactor; the
third part consisted of a 72-hr engineering
performance test.
  EPA established the following program
objectives:

  • Demonstrate  at least 99.9999% de-
    struction and removal efficiency (DRE)
    for polychlorinated biphenyls  (PCBs).
  • Demonstrate at least 99.99%  destruc-
    tion efficiency (DE) for  perchloroeth-
    ylene  (PCE),  the  tracer in the liquid
    feedstock,  and  hexachlorobenzene
    (HCB), the tracer in the solid feed.
  • Ensure that no dioxins or furans were
    formed.
  • Characterize  products of incomplete
    combustion (PIC) in  emissions.
  • Characterize hydrogen chloride (HCI)
    in emissions.
  • Document compliance with Michigan
    Department of  Natural  Resources
    (MDNR) air permit conditions.
  • Characterize criteria air pollutant emis-
    sions.
  • Document compliance with Toxic Sub-
    stances Control  Act (TSCA) permit
    requirements.
  • Validate key cost assumptions  used
    in process economic analyses.
  • Characterize  effluents  and  residual
    streams relative  to disposal  require-
    ments.
  • Determine the suitability of  the re-
    formed gases for reuse/resale.
  • Demonstrate system reliability.
  • Develop a system mass balance, in-
    cluding metals.
  • Characterize critical process scale-up
    parameters.
  • Validate  the   performance of ECO
    LOGIC'S on-line  Chemical lonization
    Mass Spectrometer (CIMS).
  • Document system operation during
    test runs.
Technology Description
  The ECO LOGIC gas-phase  chemical
reduction  process  (reactor)  treats liquid
organic hazardous waste in  a hydrogen-
rich atmosphere at approximately 900°C
(1,650°F) temperature and ambient pres-
sure to produce a high BTU reformed gas
product. The process is well suited for
aqueous waste streams  as water acts as
a hydrogen donor to  enhance the reduc-
tion reaction. The reaction  products in-
clude  HCI, from the reduction of chlorinated
organics, such as PCBs, and lighter hy-
drocarbons,  such as methane and  ethyl-
ene, from the reduction of straight-chain
and aromatic hydrocarbons. The absence
of free oxygen in the reactor inhibits di-
oxin formation.
  The  ECO  LOGIC reactor can be com-
bined with their patented TDU, which treats
organic hazardous  wastes  in  solid and
liquid media. The TDU processes soil by
desorbing organics at 500 to 600°C (930
to 1,100°F) using a  molten metal bath as
a heat  transfer medium. Organics are de-
sorbed into  a hydrogen-rich  carrier gas.
Most volatile metals found within soils will
be dissolved into the molten metal bath,
some will pass  to  the  reactor with the
carrier  gas, and the  remainder will stay in
the treated soil. Nonvolatile metals remain
in the treated soil; quench water cools the
soil before  disposal.  The hydrogen-rich
carrier  gas conveys the desorbed organ-
ics to the reactor (Figure 1), where they
are treated  in a gas-phase chemical re-
duction reaction to produce reformed gas.
Figure  2 illustrates the ECO LOGIC pro-
cess in a schematic diagram of the dem-
onstrated unit.
  For the reactor demonstration, a heat
exchanger evaporated contaminated  aque-
ous feedstock to form steam and a con-
centrated heated liquor. Atomizing nozzles
sprayed  the  heated liquor, with associ-
ated particulates, into the reactor. A sepa-
rate pump sent  PCB-rich oils  directly to
the  reactor through  other atomizing
nozzles.  Compressed,  hydrogen-rich, re-
circulating gas passed through a gas-fired
heat exchanger and entered the top  of the
reactor tangentially. The  tangential entry
swirled the fluids to  provide effective mix-
ing. As indicated in  Figure 1, the swirling
mixture traveled downward in the annulus
formed by the reactor wall and the central
ceramic-coated steel tube, past electrically
heated bars. These bars heated the mix-
ture to 900°C (1,650°F). At the bottom of
the reactor the mixture entered the tube,
reversed direction,  and flowed  upward to
the outlet of the reactor. The reduction
reactions occurred  as the gases traveled
from the  reactor inlets to the  scrubber
inlet.
  After  quenching, the gases flowed
through  a scrubber where contact with
water removed HCI and fine  particulates.
A large water-sealed vent,  acting as an
emergency  pressure relief duct, passed
scrubber water to a tank below. A  pump
recirculated  the  scrubber water  through
an evaporative cooler to reduce  its tem-
perature to   35°C  (95°F).  Caustic and
rnake-up water,  added to the  scrubber
liquor,  maintained HCI removal  efficiency.
The scrubber produced two effluent
streams, sludge and decant water.
  The  reformed gas exiting the scrubber
contained excess hydrogen, lighter hydro-
carbon reduction products such as meth-
ane and ethylene, and a small amount of
water vapor.  Approximately  95% of this
hydrogen-rich gas was reheated to 500°C
(930°F) and recirculated back into the re-
actor;  about  5%  of the  gas served as
supplementary fuel for a propane-fired
boiler used to produce steam. The boiler,
which  burned  a mixture of propane and
reformed gas, generated the only air emis-
sions from the process.
  When treating wastes containing highly
concentrated  organics, the process gen-
erates  excess reformed gas. The system
operator can  elect to compress the  ex-
cess reformed gas and store  it for later
use or analysis.

Site Preparation
  The  demonstration-scale reactor was 2
m (6 ft) in diameter  and 3  m (9 ft) tall,
mounted on  a 15 m  (45 ft)  drop-deck
trailer.  The trailer  carried  a scrubber sys-
tem, recirculation gas system, and an elec-
trical control center. A second trailer held
a propane boiler and a waste preheating
vessel. The TDU  traveled on a third flat-
bed trailer.
  The  ECO LOGIC system requires a fairly
level area,  approximately 120 ft x  180 ft,
for  the processing and  auxiliary  equip-
ment.  ECO LOGIC arranged the reactor,
TDU, and  support equipment trailers in
parallel; they  piped and wired the system
components together.  Six additional trail-
ers provided  office space for EPA, sam-
pling  and analysis  facilities, onsite
laboratories,  ECO LOGIC process con-
trols, and a maintenance shop.
  Storage tanks held nitrogen, propane,
hydrogen, oxygen, reformed gas, and pro-
cess residuals. Existing utility connections
provided electrical power and water. Re-
covery  wells,  installed in previously lo-
cated   underground  pools,  provided
feedstock for the demonstration.

Technology Testing
  ECO LOGIC designed the  TDU/reactor
process to simultaneously treat 4 tons/
day of  waste oil, 10 tons/day of wastewa-
ter, and 16 tons/day of soil, depending on
the nature of the  contaminants, their de-
gree of chlorination, and their water con-
tent. The actual demonstration test treated
approximately 0.2 ton  of waste oil,  2.9
tons of wastewater, and  1.1  tons of soil,
all contaminated with PCBs.  On average,
the  wastewater  contained  3,757 ppm
PCBs; soil, 627  ppm; and  oil, 254,000

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      THERMAL
    DESOfiPTlON
         UNIT
                                                                                         35°C
                                                                            Condensate
                                                                                                           Gas
                                                                                                           booster
                                                                                             Scrubber
                                                                                              water
                                                                                             make-up
                                                                                            and caustic
                                                                                                 180°C
                                                                                                          Stack gas
                                                                                                      Boiler
^ \~\
Sfeam
-^
3 fc




<
             Hydrocarbon
               gas (5%)
Combustion
    air
Figure 1.  ECO LOGIC gas-phase chemical reduction process and thermal desorption unit

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                                                                   To scrubber
                                                                    Waste injection ports
                                                                    Reactor steel wall
                                                                    Fibreboard insulation
                                                                    Refractory lining

                                                                    Electric heating elements
                                                                    Ceramic-coated central steel tube
                                        To grit box
Figure 2.  ECO LOGIC Process schematic diagram of the demonstrated unit.
ppm. The wastewater and waste oil were
spiked with PCE and the soil with HCB,
both tracer compounds to test Resource
Conservation  and Recovery  Act (RCRA)
destruction efficiencies.
  ECO LOGIC first performed a series of
shakedown tests to establish optimum sys-
tem performance. Two liquid tests (Condi-
tions 1 and 3) and a soil test (Condition 2)
followed. Each test condition  consisted of
three runs, except Condition 2, which con-
sisted of two runs. The demonstration also
included a 72-hr,  continuous-operations
reliability test. The  program  maintained
optimal operating  parameters while vary-
ing  the  media and contaminant concen-
trations  in  the  feedstock.   Table  1
summarizes the operating conditions for
each test.
  EPA collected extensive samples  from
points around  the system components and
stored or logged important data on oper-
ating and utility usage.  Laboratory analy-
ses provided  information on the principal
process streams:  desorbed  soil,  reactor
grit, scrubber  residuals, reformed gas, and
boiler stack  emissions. EPA  evaluated
these data against  established program
objectives to determine the capability of
the process to treat the designated waste.

Demonstration Results
  Table 2 summarizes the results for the
wastewater and waste oil tests; Table 3,
the results for the soils tests. In general,
the reactor system met all the Condition 1
and 3 objectives  except benzene emis-
sions. Condition 2 met all objectives ex-
cept DE for the tracer compound HCB.
The Technology Evaluation Report, avail-
able from NTIS,  contains detailed  data
from all three conditions. (See information
at back.)

Estimated Treatment Costs
  The twelve cost categories established
for the SITE program formed the basis for
the detailed  cost analysis. Costs relate to
the demonstration-size reactor unit, pro-
cessing an average of 2.2 kg/min, as op-
erated at the Middleground Landfill. Based
on an economic analysis contained within
the Application Analysis Reports, the esti-
mated costs for treating liquid wastes simi-
lar to those  at the Bay  City site range
from $1,670/ton (80% utilization  rate) to
$2,000/ton (60% utilization rate). The most
important element affecting cost is labor
(52% of cost), followed by site preparation
(15%), supplies (12%), and start-up/mobi-
lization  (12%).  The estimated costs for
treating soils with the combined  TDU/re-
actor system range from $500/ton (80%
utilization rate)  to  $630/ton (60% utiliza-
tion rate).

Conclusions
  Based on the program objectives, the
demonstration confirmed the feasibility of
the gas-phase chemical reduction process
for treating  PCBs and other chlorinated
organic compounds, for producing a fuel
gas from PCB-contaminated soil and liq-
uids,  and for  providing environmentally
acceptable air emissions.

Reactor System
  In  general, ECO LOGIC'S reactor sys-
tem effectively destroyed PCBs, reducing
them to lighter hydrocarbons. Stack emis-
sions generally met stringent  regulatory
levels; however, benzene concentrations
in the  stack gas  and  scrubber liquor re-
quired close monitoring. The scrubber li-

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quor required disposal as a RCRA waste
or recycling through the system for addi-
tional treatment.

TDU/Reactor System
  The  TDU  did not  perform  to  design
specifications. EPA categorized the TDU
test  data as  a system  proof-of-concept
rather than as a comprehensive evalua-
tion  of a fully developed unit. The test
data indicated that the TDU, as presently
configured, achieved  desorption efficien-
cies at the expense of throughput.  In ad-
dition, ECO LOGIC experienced material
handling problems with the TDU feed. The
combination of material handling problems
and inadequate organics desorption indi-
cated a need for further development. The
test data have identified  system strength
and targeted areas that require improve-
ments.
  Nevertheless,  the demonstration did
show that ECO LOGIC'S TDU can desorb
PCB contaminants. Treatment of the TDU-
produced desorbed gas in the reactor pro-
duced stack emissions that generally met
stringent regulatory levels.  The reformed
gas composition resembled coal-gas fuel;
the scrubber liquor required disposal as a
RCRA  waste. In commercial operations,
this liquor could be recycled through the
system.
Table 1. Operating Conditions Summary
Component Parameter
TDU



Reactor


Scrubber


Recirculating fan


Vaporizer

Bath temperature
Dome temperature
Gas temperature
Pressure
Temperature
Pressure
Resident time
Inlet temperature
Outlet temperature
Water pH
Differential pressure
Flow rate
Gas pressure
Temperature
Pressure
Measure
(°C)
(°C)
(°C)
(in. H20)
(°C)
(in. H20)
(sec.)
(°C)
(°C)

(in. H20)
(dm)
(in. H20)
(°C)
(psi)

1
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
892
1.8
8
546
33
8.78
11.6
110
6.5
148.3
51.8
Condition
2
624
612
449
2.25
890
2.46
7.7
504
32
8.42
9.1
110
5.2
N/A
N/A

3
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
933
1.8
6.1
527
32
9.32
7.81
110
0.66
149
51.4

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Table 2.  Summary of Results for Condition 1 (Wastewater), and Condition 3 (Waste Oil) Tests
                                                         Results
Objective
Demonstrate ORE for
PCBs: 99.9999%
Met
X
Not Met Range
99.9999% to
99.99999%
Conclusions
Good destruction.
Demonstrate DE for PCE: 99.99%         X

Ensure no formation PCDD/PCDF         X




Characterize PIC emissions               X


Characterize HCI emissions               X




Document MDNR air permit               X
compliance


Characterize criteria air pollutants          X

Document TSCA permit compliance        X

Validate key cost assumptions             X

Characterize effluents and residuals        X
Determine suitability of reformed           X
gases for reuse/resale

Demonstrate system reliability             X
Develop mass balances                  X


Characterize scale-up parameters          X

Validate CIMS


Document system operation               X
99.99%

PCDD DE:
63.05% to 98.36%
PCDFDE:
99.91% to 99.98%

Benzene: 73 to
113pg/dscm

0.659 to 0.807
mg/dscm; 147.6 to
173.3 mg/hr;
99.96% removal

Benzene:
48.5ng/dscm
Throughput
reliability: 20 to
55% of design.
System availabil-
ity:24%
Good destruction.

No net PCDD/PCDF formation.
PICs characterized; benzene
emissions exceeded regulatory limit.

Acceptable emissions.
Air permit compliance documented;
benzene emissions exceeded MDNR
conditions.

Easily met permit conditions.

Met permit conditions.

Cost elements identified.

Organics destroyed; metals partitioned
to scrubber effluents; after further treat-
ment, scrubber liquor may be suitable
forPOTW.

Closely matched composition of other
commercial fuel gases.

Process reliability requires improvement.
                         Generally good closures, except for
                         certain metals.

                         Characterized.

                         May reflect data trends useful for
                         process control.

                         Data available for commercial scale-up.

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Table 3. Summary of Results for Condition 2 (Soil) Test
Objective
Demonstrate ORE for PCBs:
99.9999%
Demonstrate DE for HCB:
99.99%
Ensure no formation of
PCDD/PCDF
Characterize PIC emissions
Characterize HCI emissions

Met
X
X
X
X
X
Results
Not Met Range
99.9999%
72. 13 to 99.99%
PCDD DE:
42.5% to 99.45%
PCDFDE:
54.6% to 98.12%

0.68 mg/dscm;
150 mg/hr;
99.98% removal
Conclusions
Requirements met.
Inefficient desorption from soil in Run 1.
No net PCDD/PCDF formation.
Emissions characterized.
Acceptable emissions.
Document MDNR air permit               X
compliance

Characterize criteria air pollutants          X

Document TSCA permit compliance

Validate key cost assumptions             X

Characterize effluents and residuals        X
Determine suitability of reformed           X
gases for reuse/resale

Demonstrate system reliability             X
Develop mass balances                   X


Characterize scale-up parameters          X

Validate CIMS
Throughput reliability:
4% to 21.2% of design.
System availability:24%
Air permit compliance documented.


Easily met permit conditions.

Not applicable.

Cost elements identified.

Organics destroyed; metals partitioned
to scrubber effluents; after further
treatment, scrubber liquor
may be suitable for POTW.

Closely matched composition of other
commercial fuel gases.

Process reliability requires improvement.
                          Generally good closures, except for
                          certain metals.

                          Characterized.

                          May reflect data trends useful for
                          process control.
Document system operation
                          Data available for commercial scale-up.

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The EPA Project Manager, Gordon M. Evans, is with the Risk Reduction Engineer-
  ing Laboratory, U.S, Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268 (see
  below).
This summary presents findings from two volumes:
  "Technology Evaluation Report: ECO LOGIC International Gas-Phase Chemical
  Reduction Process,  Bay City, Ml," which discusses the results of the SITE
  demonstration;
  "Technology Evaluation Report: ECO LOGIC International Gas-Phase Chemical
  Reduction Process,  Bay City, Ml, Appendices."
Both volumes may be obtained by asking for Order No. PB95-100251, cost $52.00
  (subject to change).  These volumes will be available only from:
        National Technical Information Service
        5285 Port Royal Road
        Springfield, VA 22161
        Telephone: 703-487-4650
Two related reports, entitled "Applications Analysis Report: ECO LOGIC International
  Gas-Phase Chemical Reduction Process, The Reactor  System" and "Applications
  Analysis Report: ECO LOGIC International Gas-Phase Chemical Reduction Pro-
  cess, The Thermal Desorption Unit," discuss the applications of the demonstrated
  technology.
The EPA Project Manager can be contacted at:
        Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
        U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
        Cincinnati, OH 45268
  United States
  Environmental Protection Agency
  Center for Environmental Research Information
  Cincinnati, OH 45268

  Official Business
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  $300
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POSTAGE & FEES PAID
         EPA
   PERMIT No. G-35
  EPA/540/SR-93/522

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