United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Risk Reduction
Engineering Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA/600/S2-89/060 Feb. 1990
SEPA Project Summary
Incineration of Creosote and
Pentachlorophenol Wood-
Preserving Wastewater
Treatment Sludges
Fred D. Hall
Wastewater treatment sludges
from two wood-preserving operations
were incinerated to provide data for
the EPA's land disposal restriction
regulations under the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA). The untreated wastes,
incinerator ash, and stack gas
samples were analyzed for organic
and metal compounds. A report was
prepared to document the effective-
ness of the incineration tests.
This Project Summary was
developed by EPA's Risk Reduction
Engineering Laboratory, Cincinnati,
OH, to announce key findings of the
research project that is fully
documented in a separate report of
the same title (see Project Report
ordering information at back).
Introduction
RCRA Waste Code K001 is defined as
the bottom sediment sludge from the
treatment of wastewaters from wood-
preserving processes that use pentachlo-
rophenol (PCP) or creosote (C).
Pentachlorophenol is a synthetic organic
compound manufactured by reacting
chlorine with phenol. Creosote is a
derivative of coal containing creosols,
phenolic compounds, naphthalene, and a
wide range of polynuclear aromatics. An
estimated 400 facilities in the United
States have wood-preserving processes
that could generate K001 wastes. Many
of these facilities are more than 25 years
old and some are more than 75 years
old.
The wood-preserving process
generally consists of two steps: 1)
pretreatment of the wood to reduce its
natural moisture content, and 2) impreg-
nation of the wood with preservatives.
Drippings and condensed vapors gen-
erated during treatment are sent to an
oil/water separator, where chemicals are
recovered and recycled to the process.
The contaminated wastewater from the
separator may be collected in surface
impoundments, and sludges are
periodically removed from these
impoundments for offsite disposal (Figure
Waste Characteristics
The K001 used for the incineration
tests was obtained from wood-preserv-
ing facilities. Samples of each waste were
analyzed for the constituents of interest
(Table 1). Table 2 shows the selected
parameters of the test wastes that would
affect incinerator performance.
Description of Incineration
Facilities
Pentachlorophenol Test
The incineration system at the
Combustion Research Center in
Jefferson, Arkansas, consists of a primary
combustion chamber, a transition section,
and a fired afterburner chamber (Figure
2). The air-pollution-control system
includes a venturi scrubber and a
packed-column scrubber. A carbon ad-
sorption bed and a high-efficiency
particulate air (HEPA) filter are used to
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Treatment Chemicals
Chemicals (Creosote and/or
Pentachlorophenol)
Wood
Sludges
*• K001
Figure 1. Schematic of wood-preserving process.
Table 1, Analytical Results of K001 Wastes
Waste
Constituent
Concentration,
percent
K001-PCP
K001-C
Soil
Water
Wood chips
Organics
Soli
Water
Wood chips
Naphthalene
Phenanthrene
Fluoranthene
Other organics
40
30
10
20
100
30
20
10
4
3.5
2.5
34
100
back up the scrubbers. The rotary kiln
was operated in a temperature range of
980° to 1102°C and at a feed rate of
about 80 Ib/h. The afterburner tem-
perature range was 965° to 1108°C. (See
Figure 2.)
Creosote Test
The incineration system at John Zink
Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma (Figure 3)
consists of a rotary kiln with continuous
ash removal, an afterburner, a cyclone
separator for solids, and an adjustable
venturi scrubber. A second afterburner,
required by the Oklahoma State
Department of Health, followed the air
pollution equipment. The kiln was
operated at 923° to 1109°C, and the
afterburner was operated at 1056° to
1145°C. The feed rate was 180 Ib/h.
Conclusions
" " Both the K001-PCP"lncl the KOOT-C-
wastes were incinerable. The incinerator
ash from neither test contained
detectable volatiles or semivolatiles. The
K001-PCP test ash contained low levels
of arsenic, lead, chromium, copper, and
zinc; the scrubber water contained low
levels of arsenic, copper, lead, and zinc.
The K001-C test ash contained
moderately higher levels of arsenic and
zinc; lead and zinc were detected in the
scrubber water samples. The
destruction/removal efficiency standard of
99.99% was achieved for both tests.
Based on these tests, incineration was
promulgated on August 17, 1988, as best
demonstrated available technology
(BOAT) for the organic constituents of
K001 (naphthalene, pentachlorophenol,
pyrene, phenanthrene, toluene, and
xylenes).
The full report was submitted in
fulfillment of Contract No. 68-03-3389 by
j>E{ Associates, Inc._,.__.under the_
" sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
Table 2. Parameters Affecting Incinerator Performance
Waste Parameter Range
K001-PCP
K001-C
Ash
Heating value
Water
Pentachlorophenol
Ash
Heating value
Water
Volatile matter
12 to 51%
3800 to 8300 Btu/lb
8 to 41%
970 to 3000 ppm
10 to 35%
10,000 to 11,000 Btu/lb
5 to 20%
57 to 81%
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Sample
ID
A
B
C
D
Site
Description
Drums
Ash Bin
Venturi Scrubber
Recirculation Tank
Sample
Description
Waste Feed Before Packing
K001-PCP Ash
Scrubber Makeup
Scrubber Blowdown
Scrubber
Makeup
From
Recirculation
,Tank
Blowdown to.
Storage
Tanks
Figure 2. CRF rotary-kiln incineration system and sampling points.
Sample
ID
A
B
C
D
E
Site
Description
Drums
Ash Bin
Solids Separator
Water Separator
Water Separator
Sample
Description
Waste Feed During Packing
Bottom Ash
Fly Ash
Scrubber Water Before Waste Feed
Scrubber Water During Waste Feed
To
Atmosphere
Natural
Gas and
Combustion-
Air
Blowdown
Effluent Recycled to
Scrubber
Bottom
Figure 3. John Zink rotary-kiln incineration system and sampling points
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Fred D. Hall is with PEI Associates. lnc.,Cincinnati, OH 45246.
Ronald J.Turner is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled Incineration of Creosote and Pentachlorophenol
Wood-Preserving Wastewater Treatment Sludges," (Order No. PB 90-130
493IAS; Cost: $23.00, subject to change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer 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
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA/600/S2-89/060
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