gaseous emissions

from municipal incinerators

                          If?
                          fr

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             gaseous emissions
       from municipal incinerators
This report  (SW-18e) was written for the  Federal solid
   waste management programs by AERIGIO A.  CAEOTTI
      and RUSSEL A. SMITH under contracts number
  PH-86-67-62 and PH-86-68-121 to New York  University
and, except  for minor changes in the preliminary pages
     is reproduced as received from the contractor
         U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

                        1974

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This report  has been reviewed  by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and approved for publication.   Approval
does not  signify that the  contents necessarily reflect the
views and policies of the U.S.  Environmental Protection
Agency, nor  does mention of  commercial products  constitute
endorsement  or recommendation  for use by the U.S.  Government
        Ari environmental protection publication in
        the solid waste management series  (SW-18c)
      For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Wuhlngton, D.C. 20402 • Price 75 cents

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                             FOREWORD



     Incineration is still a widely used method for processing solid

wastes in large metropolitan areas, although increasingly stringent

air pollution laws may require that many existing incinerators be

modified or closed.  Incineration reduces the volume of wastes requir-

ing disposal, but.in so doing, it produces gases and liquids that are

dispersed into the environment.  At the time this report was written,

few studies had been made of the emissions from municipal incinerators.

And of those that-had been made most were limited in scope, being

confined generally to selected emissions.  This experimental study,

conducted under two contracts with New York University, is broader in

scope than earlier studies, covering gaseous emissions, quenchwater,

and ash from four municipal incinerators in the New York City

metropolitan area.

     Although the data were gathered in 1968 and some of the incinera-

tors surveyed are no longer in operation, we believe that the data

are useful to add to the body of available information on this

important aspect of the environmental impacts of incineration.
                                     --ARSEN J. DARNAY
                                       Deputy Assistant Administrator
                                           for Solid Waste Management

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                               PREFACE






     One of the significant byproducts of the intricate chemical reactions




that sustain life in all forms is waste.  Those mechanisms, both natural




and synthetic, which have propagated and multiplied the homo sapiens form




are prime examples.  Human population has not only rapidly increased, but




has concentrated in chosen geographical locations.  Massed in a synthetic




environment designed for modern existence, man continues to live, multiply,




and produce enormous quantities of agricultural, mineral, industrial, and




urban wastes.




     In larger cities, the solid waste is being constantly removed from




the environment and "destroyed" in a number of ways.  A common practice is




incineration.  Thus, large incineration plants have been designed and con-




structed for the purpose of municipal refuse disposal.




     But, alas, matter can neither be created nor destroyed, only changed




in form.  Thus, solid waste is presently converted  (via incineration) in




part to gases and liquids.  The gases are dispersed into the life-essential




air, and the liquids pour into our rivers, bays, and oceans.  Clearly, this




system is far from satisfactory.  True, the solid volume of the waste is




reduced significantly, but little has been done to reduce obnoxious gas




and liquid emissions from incinerators.




     The products of the  combustion  of  solid waste  are  many and varied.




They include numerous classes of organic  as well  as inorganic  compounds,




certainly not all identified.  The composition  of the effluent  changes
                                    iv

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 radically with the nature of  the refuse  charge, which  is  itself  constantly




 changing.




      The relationship  among these  changing parameters  has not been




 satisfactorily established.   The rate  of discharge  of  many  of the known




 emissions has not been adequately  recorded.  The  synergistic and




 accumulative effects of  these emissions  on man remain  a. mystery.  An




 understanding of their nature,  quantity, and effects,  and,  subsequently,




 of their control is prerequisite to  the  total elimination of substances




 that can upset and eventually destroy  the ecological cycles that are




 so necessary to life.





      Elimination of waste is  today as necessary to the efficient  function




of a life colony as is  its food, water, and air supply.   The study of ways



and means of solid waste management is, therefore,  essential.  Since incinera-




tion is perhaps the most widely used method for the processing  of  solid




waste in large metropolitan areas before  final disposal, the overall




efficiency of incinerator units used for  this purpose must be evaluated




in efforts to optimize  their operation.





      The authors are pleased  to acknowledge the expert advice received




 throughout from Professor Elmer R.  Kaiser, Chemical Engineering Department,




 New York University,  who participated in this study as consultant.




 We are  also indebted to Maurice M.  Feldman,  Acting Commissioner,  and




 A.  Cuciti,  Principal Engineer, of the Department of Sanitation of New




Tork City,  for permission to  conduct  our  studies at  various  municipal




incinerator plants and  for making available  to us  valuable operational




information.  Their spontaneous  and courteous cooperation  as well as

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the cooperation of a number of the various plants' personnel is




gratefully appreciated.  Especially, we recognize and appreciate the




significant contribution to the experimental program made by the following




members of the Chemical Engineering-Department of New York University:




Mrs. Gonul Kocamustafaogullari, Analytical Chemist-Assistant Research




Scientist; John Hornyak, Laboratory Technician; Salah Rahal, Research




Assistant; and Charles Lance, Research Aide.  Our thanks also to Professor




Lee Wikstrom, who assisted in the literature research conducted during




the first six months of the project.
                                vi

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                              CONTENTS






                                                               Page



Introduction:  A Literature Search and Experimental Study ...  1




Summary of Literature Search  ...... 	  1




Summary of Experimental Study/	6




An Experimental Study'	10




     Metropolitan New York municipal incinerators 	 11




     The refuse	16




     Sampling apparatus 	 19




     Analytical procedures  .... 	 28




     Results of seasonal variations study 	 31




     Results of the incinerator comparison study  	 40




     Detailed analysis of gaseous stack effluent  	 50




     Miscellaneous studies  	 	 50




     General comments 	 56



Recommendations for Future Work	57




References	60
                                vii

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            GASEOUS EMISSIONS FROM MUNICIPAL INCINERATORS




              A Literature Search and Experimental Study






      Studies of emissions from municipal incinerators have been




limited in number as well as in scope.  This report first presents a




review of what is generally known about gaseous emissions, and the




literature review is followed by the results of an experimental study




of gaseous emissions, quench water, and residual ash from four munici-




pal incinerators in the New York City metropolitan area.  The litera-




ture search was conducted as a preliminary study in the spring and




summer of 1967 prior to the experimental investigation.  This litera-




ture search is summarized below and is not being published in any more




detail.  The experimental study is also summarized, but is followed by




a detailed account of the investigation.




                     Summary of Literature Search




      The results of outstanding investigations are presented, dis-




cussed, and evaluated in publications by Rehm, Ranter, et al., Tuttle




and Feldstein, Stenburg, Kaiser, Hangebrauck, et al., Flood, Jens and




Rehm, Walker, and HutchinsonJ"*J   Some of these studies were concerned




only with particulate, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water, oxygen,




and nitrogen emissions under normal incinerator operating conditions.




Some were, in addition, concerned with how the respective quantity of




each emission was affected by such variables as underfire and overfire




air agitation of fuel bed, amount of refuse loaded, batch versus con-




tinuous incineration, and the size and type of incinerator and clean-




ing equipment.  A limited number of papers reviewed were concerned




with emissions from municipal incinerators and included data on




                                  -1-

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emissions other than particulate, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide,

water, oxygen, and nitrogen.  Outstanding among this group are the

publications by Ranter, Stenburg, and co-workers, Walker, Hutchinson,
                                    2,5,10-12
and the Stanford Research Institute.           Included in such publi-

cations were data from the quantitation of oxides of sulfur, sometimes

ammonia, and organic pollutants.  The organic pollutants were usually

classes of compounds having the same functional group.  Each class or

family was then quantitated and reported as the equivalent of a repre-

sentative member of that class.  Thus a typical analysis included

values for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxygen, nitrogen, water,

perhaps acetylene and ammonia, particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen

as NC>2, oxides of sulfur as S02> total hydrocarbons as hexane or

methane, aldehydes as HCHO, and organic acids as CH3 COOH.  These

measurements were generally conducted during normal, steady-state in-

cinerator operating conditions.

      Detailed identification and quantitation of emissions have been
                                          »
restricted to particulates and hydrocarbons.  Papers by Kanter, Kaiser,

and Jens and Rehm describe results of detailed analyses of particulates

from stack effluent and collector catch.2»6i9  The data of Jens and

Rehm included values for 19 metals, 5 anions, and 2 nonmetals present

in the emissions.  The data of Kanter and colleagues included values

for 21 metals present.  The results of a relatively detailed  source-

sampling program to determine the pollutant emissions from many types

of combustion processes were reported by Hangebrauck.7  Emission levels

of polynuclear hydrocarbons, particulate matter, carbon mcnoxide, total

                                 -2-

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gaseous hydrocarbons, oxides  of nitrogen, oxides  of sulfur  and




formaldehyde were measured  for heat-generation sources  that burned




coal, fuel oil, and natural gas,  and  for incinerators  that  burned




municipal-type refuse.  Also,  the polynuclear hydrocarbon concentrations




in particulate matter emitted from  open fires burning  household refuse,




automobile tires, grass and hedge clippings, and  automobile bodies




were determined.  Emission levels of  benzo(a) pyrene and a  number of




other specific polynuclear hydrocarbons were given particular consideration




because of the demonstrated or potential carcinogenic  activity of these




compounds.  Using gas-chromatographic techniques, Tuttle and Feldstein




analyzed  the effluents from a series  of incinerators (not all municipal)




for G£ to Cg hydrocarbons.  Their resulting publication  contains data




from the  quantitation of €3,  Ci,,  €5,  and Cg fractions  (saturated plus




unsaturated) and :'£rora the identification and quantitation of a number




of specific^hydrocarbons, e.g., acetylene, ethylene, ethane, n- and




i-butane, 3-methylbutene-l, pentene-1, n-pentane, 2-methylbutene-2,




2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane  and  n-hexane,*




     The  paper by Kaiser appeared to  be the only  publication reporting




a study of the effluents from municipal incinerators in  the New York




City metropolitan area.6  Recorded  gaseous emission data do not, however,




include values for oxides of  nitrogen, oxides of  sulfur, ammonia, or




any organics, although as noted above, particulate composition was




well defined.




     Chemical analyses of stack effluents at startup have,  in general,




been limited to carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water,  nitrogen, oxygen,
                                  -3-

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and participates.  Seasonal variations in the composition of airborne




emissions from municipal incinerators have not as yet been recorded.




Variations in the rate of discharge when the incinerator is being




operated at design capacity and/or at capacity loading that meets local




air pollution control requirements have not been determined for many




of the effluent constituents.  In addition, little or no emphasis has




been placed on the detection of those emission components which are




toxic or potentially toxic to man, for example, cyanides, fluorides,




hydrogen chloride, hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, organometallics, and




volatile phosphorus compounds.




     Clearly then, a great deal of additional data is needed before




the effect of stack effluents from municipal incinerators on air pollution




can be fully evaluated.




     It would appear that the airborne emissions from the domestic




or flue-fed, rather than the municipal incinerator, were chosen as




the subject for a more detailed analytical study.  Thus, the Department




of Air Pollution Control of the City of New York developed a comprehensive




procedure for the sampling and chemical analysis of the effluents of




apartment house incinerators.  The results of this experimental program,




which include actual field studies, appeared in a publication by Jacobs




and Braverman in 1958.13  The gases and vapors quantitated during the




course of this study were:  oxides of sulfur as S02, aldehydes as HCHO,




organic acids as CH3 COOH, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, benzene, esters




as ethyl acetate, carbon monoxide and dioxide, oxygen, oxidizable sulfur
                                 -4-

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compounds, oxides of nitrogen as N02, phenols, and hydrocarbons as




CH4.  The published results of a parallel study conducted by Kaiser




and coworkers in 1959 Included data  from a qualitative mass-spectrographic




analysis, which indicated that methane, ethylene, acetaldehyde, methyl




and ethyl alcohol, propylene, and acetone were also present in emissions




from flue-fed incinerators.1"1  Other emission data from domestic incinerator




studies were published by Hutchinson,11 Stanford Research Institute,12




Kanter, et al.,z Sterling and Bower,15 Tuttle and Feldstein,3 and Walker.10




     The most detailed analytical study, describing the effluents




from backyard incinerators, was conducted by Yocum and coworkers in




1956.16 Gaseous and normally liquid  materials from the effluent were




collected in a conventional freeze—out train, then analyzed by infrared




and ultraviolet spectrophotometry and wet chemistry.  Recorded data




included values for methanol, ethylene, acetone, methane, acetylene,




alpha olefins, carbonyl sulfide, benzene, acids as acetic acids, phenols




as phenol, aldehydes as formaldehyde, ammonia, oxides of nitrogen




as NC>2, acetaldehyde, esters and guaiacol as well as for carbon monoxide




and carbon dioxide.  Some fractions  could not be identified.  This




work emphasized the extreme complexity of incinerator gases.  It also




pointed out the need for more work toward identifying the chemical




nature of this form of pollution as  a. means of assessing its importance.




     The effects of highly volatile  fuel on incinerator effluents




were investigated by Stenburg and colleagues in 1961.17  All studies




were made in an experimental, multiple-chamber, prototype incinerator.




Asphalt saturated felt roofing was the highly volatile fuel component
                                  -5-

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selected for these tests.  Recorded emission data included values for



carbon monoxide and dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide, formalde-



hyde, and particulates.  The effect of underfire airflow, excess air,



secondary air, temperature, and small versus large-batch charges on



some of these emissions was also investigated.  Rose and co-workers



also employed a small, experimental, multiple-chamber, prototype in-



cinerator to study the air pollution effects of incinerator firing



practices and combustion air distribution.18  Specifically, these in-



vestigators obtained information about the effect of varying the



amount and distribution of combustion air, the burning rate, the



amount of fuel per charge, and the interval between stoking the burn-



ing fuel bed on the particulate, hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, oxides



of nitrogen, and odor emission.



                    Summary of Experimental Study



      Seasonal variations in the general composition of the refuse, the



general composition of the stack gaseous emissions and quench water,



and the organic content of residual ash were experimentally evaluated



as a part of the present study, at the East 73rd Street municipal



incinerator plant in Manhattan.  Seasonal emissions in Ib per ton. of



refuse charged were generally highest in the spring and lowest in the



summer.  The lowest quantity of hydrogen chloride was found in samples



collected in the fall (2.7 Ib per ton refuse); the highest quantities



were found in the winter (6.4 Ib per ton refuse) and in the spring (8.6



Ib per ton refuse).  The refuse was richer in synthetic, polymeric



(plastic) waste during these two seasons.  Sulfur dioxide and sulfate as



sulfuric acid values were related and ranged from 1.5 to 8 Ib per ton of





                                 -6-

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refuse for sulfur dioxide and 5.3 to 17.5 Ib per ton refuse for sulfate




as sulfuric acid.  Total organic acid values (0.11, 0.14, 0.16, and 0.41




Ib per ton of refuse) remained essentially constant as did those for




total aldehydes  (0.1 to 0.3 Ib per ton refuse)  (Table 6).




     The dissolved solids content of the quench water was lowest in the




spring and highest in the winter.  The ether-soluble organic content of the




residual ash was lowest in the winter and highest in the spring.  Summer




and fall quench water and residual ash did not seem to differ signifi-




cantly.




     The general composition of the refuse, of the stack gaseous emissions,




and of the quench water, and also the organic content of residual ash from




four different types of municipal incinerators in the New York City




metropolitan area were also experimentally evaluated.  The lowest rate




of discharge values for fall and winter (1.3, 1.8 Ib S02 per ton of




refuse; 2.3, 3.9 Ib SOi^ = as H2SOi, per ton refuse; 1.4, 1.4 Ib Cl~ as




HC1 per ton refuse; 0.06, 0.06 Ib organic acids per ton refuse)




respectively were recorded at the Flushing incinerator plant, a batch-type




unit (Table 14).  Residue from this plant, however, was rich in gross,




unburned, organic matter clearly indicating incomplete incineration.  Thus,




In evaluating and comparing the relative efficiencies of various



incinerator plants, it is important to consider not only the quantities




of airborne emissions per ton of refuse incinerated but also the nature




of the furnace residue for obviously, low emission values can result




from incomplete burning of the solid waste charge.
                                  -7-

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     From the three continuous units, rates of discharge values recorded




in the fall and in the winter were lowest for the Hamilton Avenue




incinerator plant (1.5, 2.1 Ib S02 per ton refuse; 0.09, 0.02 Ib total




hydrocarbons per ton refuse; 2.2, 5.0 Ib HC1 per ton refuse; 5.3,




7.5 Ib SOij ~ as ^SOi^ per ton refuse) (Table 14).  Of the three studied,




this plant was the only one without water sprays.  It was also the




only one that burned a noticeable quantity of industrial refuse.  Residual




ash samples from the site, however, contained the largest amount of




ether-soluble organic material.




     Airborne emissions from the East 73rd Street incinerator were




relatively richer in total sulfur dioxide and sulfate as sulfuric




acid.  The Oceanside incinerator gaseous stack effluent had the highest




hydrocarbon content (3.9, 6.3 Ib per ton refuse).  Hydrogen, fluoride




was found in the effluent from three of four units only in the winter




samples (0.002 to 0.16 Ib per ton refuse) (Table 14).




     In general, the components of the gaseous effluent resulting




from the incineration of municipal refuse are many and are representative




of numerous classes of both organic and inorganic substances.  Aliphatic




and aromatic hydrocarbons, organic acids, alcohols, keto alcohols,




ketones, aldehydes, phenols, halogen, and other inorganic acids and




inorganic acid anhydrides were found.  The airborne emission, however,




has been observed to be significantly richer in inorganics, such as




hydrogen chloride, sulfate, and sulfur oxides, than in organics.  This




may be indicative of high combustion efficiency.  Also found in the




emission have been the very toxic cyanide and selenium.  Most of the




selenium and its compounds were concentrated in the fly ash.




                                 -8-

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     The concentration of total hydrocarbons as methane in municipal



incinerator stack effluent varied significantly over a relatively short




period of days.  Peak values of 350 and 410 ppm by v were recorded.



Short term variations in the hydrocarbons emission concentration, and



possibly in the concentration of other species, must be seriously con-



sidered in evaluating average rate of discharge data based on limited




measurements.
                                  -9-

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                  AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY




     On  Gaseous Emissions From Municipal Incinerators







       Incineration of the complex fuel—municipal refuse—can be




expected to give off both inorganic and organic solid, liquid, and




gaseous products, many of which are discharged from a stack.





       Stack  emission measurements, however, have been




selective  and  have  mainly been concerned with such emiss-




ions as particulates, oxides of carbon, sulfur and nitro-




gen, and a  few groups of  organics.   Thus, a broader  study




that should include gaseous, airborne emissions, quench




water, and  ash from municipal incinerators were  initiated




at New York University in December  1966.  The first  phase




of the investigation consisted of  a literature survey and




data review on airborne  emissions  from municipal incinera-




tors followed  by  preparation of an  annotated bibliography




of the literature surveyed and a special report  that sum-




marized the current state of knowledge of incinerator




emissions  and  included recommendations for further studies.




The second phase  involved an experimental study  and  speci-




fically included:   (1) an evaluation of measured varia-



tions in the general composition of the refuse,  in the
                           -10-

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general composition  of  the  stack emission and  the  quench water,  and  in




the organic  content  of  the  furnace  ash  from one municipal  incinerator;




(2) a comparison  of  the charge,  the composition of the  stack emission




and quench water,  and  the organic content of the residue from each of




four different  types of municipal incinerators; (3)  a detailed quantitation




of the gaseous  effluent from one incinerator.  These studies were carried




out in the New  York  City metropolitan area.






             METROPOLITAN NEW YORK  MUNICIPAL INCINERATORS




              The East  73rd Street  Municipal Incinerator






     The East 73rd Street incinerator,  one of  11 municipal plants serving




the City of  New York,  began operating in early 1957.  This 660-ton-per-day




plant has maintained an annual performance record  of  over  94 percent of




design capacity.   It was chosen  for the seasonal variation study.  Only




two furnaces were in operation when samples were taken  during the spring




of 1968 and  the winter  of 1968-1969.  All three furnaces were in use for




most of the  summer,  but when the summer samples were  taken,  the  incinerator




was said to  be  burning  ''somewhat slowly."  A value of 200  tons per day




for each unit,  a  plant  total of  600 tons per day,  was assumed.  During




the fall, samples  were  taken when both  two and three  furnaces were in




operation.   Thus,  with  the  exception of the "somewhat slow"  summer period,




all other samples  and measurements  were taken  while  the incinerator  plant




was operating normally.  Temperatures recorded during sampling are tabulated




with respective analytical  and rate of  discharge data.   Pertinent, operational




parameters are  outlined below.
                                 -11-

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     Furnace.  There are three furnaces, each rated  at  220  tons  per 24




hours.  Plant design capacity is 660 tons per day  (T/D),  continuous feed




with two tandem bar and key stokers.  Gases are  cooled  by air and,water




spray from 1,800 to 650 F.




     Ratio.  Air 40,000 (CFM) at 90 F; water at  150  gpia (roughly estimated




that about 1/3 of water is not vaporized).




     Stokers.  Two tandem traveling bar and key  grates.   Feeding and drying




grate included at 25°; combustion grate is horizontal.




     Forced Draft Fans.  One per furnace; manual control vanes.   Capacity




of 29,000 CFM at 6.5" wg.




     Overfire Air Fans.  There is one overfire air fan  per  furnace with a




capacity of 3,000 CFM at 30" wg and introduced through  14 nozzles.




     Wall Cooling Fans.  In each furnace there is  one wall  cooling fan




with a capacity of 3,000 CFM at 3.75" wg.  The air is introduced through




holes in silicon carbide blocks lining  the lower side walls  of the




furnace.




     Induced Draft Fans.  There is one  induced draft fan per furnace,  with




a capacity of 190,000 CFM at 5.3" wg and 700 F.




     The refuse feeds continuously through water-cooled chutes by gravity




onto traveling grate stokers in rectangular, refractory lined furnaces.




Lower portion of walls are built up with air-cooled  silicon  carbide shapes.




     The residue, which drops through a bifurcated chute to  either of  two




ash conveyors, is water quenched and carried by  drag chain  flight conveyors




into residue trucks.  The continuous feeding permits high burning rates,




1800 F ± 200 F under steady-state conditions.  Each  furnace  has  a cooling
                                  -12-

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chamber with air ports, water sprays, and baffles through which the hot




gases must pass.  The gas temperature is reduced to approximately 650 F




by a combination of air injection and water spray.  The cooled gases




enter the multicone cyclone separators, which remove the fly ash, and




pass through the induced draft fan and out of the stack.  Each of the




three flues (one from each furnace) leads to a larger common stack.




Samples were taken at a point, sufficiently removed from bends and fans,




in the horizontal common flue on the roof.




     Fly ash from cyclone collectors is carried by drag chain conveyors




to the residue conveyor for disposal with the residue.  Fly ash deposited




in the cooling chamber is sluiced into the residue conveyor troughs.






               The Hamilton Avenue Municipal Incinerator






     The Hamilton Avenue municipal plant in Brooklyn is a continuous-feed




unit with foui furnaces, each with a design capacity of 250 T/D.  Refuse




feeds continuously through water-cooled chutes by gravity onto traveling




grate stokers in rectangular, refractory-lined furnaces.  The continuous




feeding permits burning at 1800 F under steady-state conditions.  Each




furnace has a cooling chamber with air ports but no functional water




sprays.  The hot gases from each furnace enter a baffled settling chamber




for removal of fly ash and pass through an induced draft fan before being




emitted from the stack.  There are two stacks with two flues leading to




each.  With the exception of the water sprays and furnace designs, the




number and capacity of furnaces, and the stack and chimney layouts, the
                                  -13-

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Hamilton Avenue and the East 73rd Street incinerators are essentially




identical.  Samples and measurements were taken at a point on one




chimney about 50 feet from the base.  In every case, the incinerator




plant was operating normally.  Temperatures recorded during sampling




are tabulated with respective analytical and rate of discharge data.






                  The Qceanside Municipal Incinerator






     The Oceanside municipal incinerator plant in Hempstead, L.I., is a




continuous—feed unit having two (10* x 44' x 52') 4-section furnaces




each with a design capacity of 300 to 310 T/D, and a smaller 3-section




furnace with arch and water sprays, which cool the hot furnace gases




before they issue from the stack via an induced draft fan with a design




capacity of 150 T/D.  Each of the large furnaces embodies four 11-ft




reciprocating grates.  Heat generated from the combustion of the refuse




converts water in boiler tubes to steam, which runs turbines for in-house




electric power generation.  Water from the nearby Reynolds Channel is




used to quench and wash the residue.  The gaseous effluent from each of




the two large furnaces passes through 24 fly-ash arrestors (cyclones)




before discharging from the stacks.  The emission from the No. 3 furnace




does not pass through fly-ash arrestors.  Overfire air is fed at a rate




of 7,000 to 11,000 CFM and underfire air at a rate of about 22,000 CFM.  The




furnace temperature normally ranges from 1700 to 1750 F.




     Samples for detailed analysis were taken from the large No. 2




furnace after the fly—ash arrestors, downstream of the induced draft
                                 -14-

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fan.  The temperature at this point was always about 600 F.  The samples




for the incinerator comparison study were taken from the No. 3 unit, in




fall and in winter, about 10 feet downstream of the induced draft fan.




Corresponding velocity measurements were made at a point above the base of




the stack about 5 feet above rooftop.  Temperatures recorded during




measurements are tabulated with respective analytical and rate of




discharge data.




     All samples and measurements were taken while the incinerator plant




was operating normally.






                  The Flushing Municipal Incinerator






     This municipal plant, located in Queens, New York City, is a batch




type unit with three furnaces, each with a design capacity of 100 tons




per day.  Each furnace embodies a rocking grate, which moves the residue




forward towards the front to a dump grate.  Occasional manual stoking is




necessary.  The combustion air is supplied via natural draft.  Furnace




temperatures averaged between 1400 to 1500 F at peak burning.  Twelve-




hundred-degree temperatures were recorded at loading (approximately every




20 minutes).  The hot gases exit at the rear of the furnace into a cross




flue the length of the plant.  They then pass into a common stack.  There




was some fly ash settling along flue and stack where velocity drops.




Samples and velocity measurements were taken at a point in the common




stack about 15 feet from the base.  Samples were taken with both two and




three furnaces in operation during the fall and when all three furnaces
                                  -15-

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were in operation during the winter, but in all cases, the incinerator




plant was operating in a normal manner.  Temperatures recorded during




sampling are tabulated with respective analytical and rate of discharge




data.






                              The Refuse






     The exact composition of the refuse charge at any of the four




incinerators studied was not determined, for such a major task could not




have been even partially completed within the time alloted for the attainment




of the primary objectives, namely, the measurement of effluent components




as commonly emitted and variations in concentrations.  But since it is




evident that the nature of gaseous incinerator effluents must vary, to an




extent, with the composition of the fuel that is being incinerated at the




time, an attempt was made to correlate these two parameters.  Thus, during




each test, the refuse charge was physically observed and its composition




compared to municipal refuse which was systematically sampled and




quantitated as indicated below.  Any visually observed significant




differences in composition were noted.




     The composition of municipal refuse at the Oceanside Municipal




Incinerator Plant was studied by Kaiser, Zeit, and McCaffery, of New




York University during the summer of 1966 and again in the winter and




spring of 1967.19  Their results, published in the Proceedings of the 1968




National Incinerator Conference, were presented at the MECAR Symposium




on Incineration of Solid Wastes on March 21, 1967, in New York City.




     The refuse in the pit was first mixed by the crane operator.  Four




individual grapple loads of 3/4 to 1 ton each were then subsequently
                                 -16-

-------
studied on four different occasions.  Each lot was hand sorted by 4 men




into 11 categories.  The refuse in each category was protected from




moisture loss and weighed (Table 1) .




     A variation of moisture content in the combined refuse of from 19




to 42 percent was observed when no rain fell.  Moisture content of the




refuse collected after or during a rainfall period was not determined.




Refuse, noncomhustibles, and metals varied between 16 and 22 percent of




the total refuse.  Paper ranged between 33 and 53 percent of the refuse.




The garbage (food waste) fraction ranged from 7.2 to 16.7 percent, two-




thirds of which was moisture.




     On every occasion when stack samples were taken at each incinerator,




the pit contents were carefully inspected.  Thus, the refuse was superficially




sampled and analyzed (Table 1).  Any obvious, significant variation in the




composition was recorded.  These observations resulting from this visual




analysis only involved the surface covering layer that was in view.




Nevertheless, by visual inspection, it may be said that the refuse collected




at the East 73rd Street, the Flushing, and the Oceanside (during the fall




and winter) plants appeared to be generally the same.  The refuse at the




Hamilton Avenue plant, collected primarily from an urban and industrial




area, was discernibly richer in textiles at the time samples were taken.




Specifically, there appeared to be relatively greater quantities of colored




carpet and other textile scrap.



     The refuse delivered to the Oceanside Municipal Incinerator was




collected mainly from a suburban area.  During the time the gaseous
                                  -17-

-------
                                  TABLE 1
    COMPOSITION OF REFUSE AT THE OCEANSIDE MUNICIPAL INCINERATOR PLANT
                           (Percent by weight)19
Category
Cardboard
Newspaper
Miscellaneous paper*
Plastic film
Other plastics, etc.t
Garbage
Grass, dirt, leaves
Textiles
Wood
Mineral (glass, etc.) 1
Metallic
Total
Test 1
(1/1/66)
1.59
8.88
22.25
1.76
0.69
9.58
33.33
3.00
1.22
9.74
7.96
100.00
Test 2
(1/23/66)
6.75
11.27
21.78
1.77
1.67
10.21
19.00
3.33
6.58
9.49
8.15
100.00
Test 3
(2/21/67)
5.78
21.35
26.20
1.20
2.34
16.70
0.26
2.24
1.46
11.87
10.60
100.00
Test 4
(4/5/67)
6.81
12.75
24.70
1.09
7.73
7.23
17.89
3.97
3.47
7.13
7.23
100.00
     *Includes food cartons, paper towels, brown paper, mail, and magazine
paper, but excludes newspapers and corrugated boxboard.
     tlncludes rubber, molded plastics, and leather goods.
     Tlncludes glass, ceramics, bricks, mortar, cement, and stones.
                                   -18-

-------
samples were collected for detailed analysis  (spring and summer), the




refuse in the pits contained a significant number of plastic bags filled




with garden and yard trimmings and scraps, leaves, grass, and dirt.  Pieces




of small modern furniture were prominent during the spring season.  Refuse




to be incinerated at the East 73rd Street plant was collected primarily




in Manhattan.  The composition did not appear to vary appreciably throughout




the year.  Refuse for processing at the Flushing Municipal incinerator,




collected from a primarily urban area, was the same in appearance as that




at the East 73rd Street plant and this appearance did not seem to change




significantly during the fall and winter seasons.






                          Sampling Apparatus






     Representative sampling is of major importance in establishing the




true composition of any complex system regardless of the accuracy of the




analytical methods employed.  Composition of  the stack effluent  from an




incinerator burning municipal refuse is' known to be quite complex.  To




conduct a comprehensive analysis of this effluent, a representative sample




must be taken.  This implies that at the point of sampling, all  the




components must be captured in the same proportion as they exist throughout




the effluent so that obviously this point must be carefully chosen.  Components




of interest then must be efficiently and completely "trapped" either via




filtration, adsorption, chemical reaction, condensation, etc.  In addition,




the quantity of sample taken for analysis must be large enough so that the




components can be accurately quantitated employing predetermined analytical




methods.
                                 -19-

-------
     The sampling apparatus and procedures used for the seasonal variation




and incinerator comparison studies were in accordance with (1) those




described in "Selected Methods for the Measurement of Air Pollutants,"




U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service,




Division of Air Pollution, May 1965, for sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, and




nitrogen dioxide, (2) methods devised, experimentally developed and tested




at New York University for both organic and inorganic acids and acid




anhydrides, and (3) the method of Goldman and Yagoda of the Division of




Industrial Hygiene, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Md., for




aldehydes.20  A compact tianifold, incorporating all of the necessary




impingers, fritted bubblers, stopcocks, metering devices, pumps, vacuum




gauges, etc., was constructed and used for the quantitative sampling of




sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, total acids (organic as




acetic acid and also hydrochloric, hydrofluoric, hydrocyanic, and




sulfuric acids), and total aldehydes (Figure 1).




     According to "Selected Methods for the Measurement of Air Pollutants,"




loo. ait., sulfur dioxide in an air sample is absorbed in 0.03 N hydrogen




peroxide reagent adjusted to about pH 5.  The stable and nonvolatile




sulfuric acid formed in this process can then be titrated with standard




alkali.  The sulfuric acid formed can also be quantitated gravimetrically




via the precipitation of the highly insoluble barium sulfate (described in




the following section).  Although this method of collection was designed




for ambient air containing from about 0.01 to 10.0 ppn of sulfur dioxide,




it was found to be applicable for the intended purpose by experimentally




demonstrating a greater than 98 percent recovery efficiency by using a




series of Greenburg—Smith irapingers each containing the peroxide reagent.





                                 -20-

-------
Figure I.
System used for the measurement of SOj,  NO,,  NO,  total  acids
            and total aldehydes           "

-------
According to the original method, sulfur trioxide gas, if present, would




also be recovered to some extent whereas sulfuric acid would not.




     The sampling method for nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, as described




in the same reference, was intended for the manual determination of these




two species when present in the atmosphere in the range of a few parts per




billion to about 5 ppm using fritted bubblers, and up to concentrations of




100 ppm when the gas is sampled in evacuated bottles.  Reportedly, the




bleaching effect of sulfur dioxide (30-fold ratio of sulfur dioxide to




nitrogen dioxide) can be retarded by the addition of 1 percent acetone to




the reagent before use.  The method as described could not be satisfactorily




applied for the measurement of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide.  Even in




the presence of acetone, extensive bleaching of the colored complex was




often experienced within four to five hours, the time lapse before




spectrophotometric measurement.  Because of this and other difficulties,




these measurements were considered unreliable and therefore not reported.




     The quantitative capture of acids and acid anhydrides in a Greenburg-




Smith impinger containing 1.5 N aqueous sodium hydroxide was experimentally




demonstrated.  About 99 percent of those species under consideration were




repeatedly trapped, as the respective sodium salts, in the first of two




identical impingers connected in series.




     The efficiency of 1 percent aqueous sodium bisulfite, contained in




a midget impinger, for the quantitative collection of aldehydes and ketones




was similarly evaluated.




     During sampling, each impinger and contents were cooled to 0 C to




improve gas solubility and to minimize gas condensation in downstream




rotameters.





                                -22-

-------
     The collection flow rates were as follows:   (1) about 20 liters per

minute for acid gases, (2) about 8 liters per minute for sulfur dioxide,

and (3) about 3 liters per minute for aldehydes and ketones.

     A 16-liter evacuated, stainless steel cylinder, fitted with a vacuum

gauge, was used to collect samples (directly from the stack) for nitrogen,

oxygen, carbon monoxide-, carbon dioxide and total hydrocarbons analysis.

Each sample was thus continuously collected over  a period of about an

hour1.  One to two liters of quench water and 1 to 2 Ib of ashes were

manually collected in appropriate glass jars.

     Equipment used for the collection of representative samples for

detailed analyses of stack effluent (not including particulates) was

designed, constructed, and tested in the laboratory, and installed at the

Oceanside Municipal incinerator plant.  Thus photographs of the assembly

were taken with the equipment in place at the sampling site, adjacent to

stack No. 2 (Figures 2 and 3).  The apparatus consists essentially of a

probe, which embodies a glass wool filter to trap particulates, two

large-volume and one small-volume specially designed coil traps,* a

U-tube trap, a combination expansion chamber-heat exchange unit, flush-

thru large-volume gas sampling tanks, mercury manometer, thermometer, a dry

gas meter, and a high-volume vacuum pump (Figure  4).  The probe, the traps,

and the sampling tanks were constructed of stainless steel; stainless
     *The basic design of these traps appeared in a paper by Yocom, J. E.,
Hein, G. M., and Nelson, H. W., J.A.P.C.A., 6_, No. 2, 84-89 (1956).  The
original traps were constructed and used to collect relatively large,
representative samples of organics efficiently from a high-volume gas
flow of backyard incinerator effluent.
                                -23-

-------
Figure 2.
System used for the collection of samples for exhaustive analysis of
                      stack effluent

-------
Figure 3*
System used for the collection of samples for exhaustive
             analysis of stack effluent

-------
glass wool
probe
  stack
1
ro
                                                              expansion-
                                                                heat
                                                              transfer
                                                                unit
                                                                                       thermometer
                        coil traps
                         @ 0°C.
                      flush-
                      thru
                      tank
 flush-
•"thru
 tank
                                                                                       dry
                                                                                       gas
                                                                                      meter
                                                                                       Hg
                                                                                      manomeljer
                                                                                                             pun?)
                            Figure 4.  Schematic of apparatus used for the collection of representative
                                       samples for the exhaustive analysis of gaseous stack effluent

-------
steel tubing and valves were wide-bore to permit high volume flow.  The




entire assembly permitted a gas flow of about 0.8 cubic feet per minute




at a pressure of about 28 in. of mercury.  During operation, the first




two coil traps were maintained at 0 C, and the U-tube and small coil trap




at -78 C with dry-ice acetone.  Representative samples of normally gaseous




components not retained in the traps were collected in the flush-thru gas




sampling tanks.  The high collection efficiency of this trapping system




was at first experimentally demonstrated in the laboratory using ambient




air spiked with known quantities of volatile organics.  It was subsequently




proven in practice during test runs at Oceanside.




     A first version of the sampling apparatus incorporated a separate




filter located outside the stack several feet from the sampling port, a




water-cooled coil condenser above the first coil trap, and a spiral heat




exchange unit after the third coil trap.  During preliminary sampling tests




at Oceanside, liquid collected in the separate glass wool filter remained




surprisingly cool throughout the test run.  This unit was eliminated,




therefore, and the glass wool placed in a section of the probe extending




into the stack.  The water-cooled coil condenser was eliminated after it




was found that stack gas entering this unit was already at about ambient




temperature.  To eliminate blockage by ice crystals, which were physically




swept out of the -78 C cooled coil trap by the high-volume flow of gas,




the spiral heat exchange unit was replaced by a large diameter, demountable




stainless steel chamber.




     Velocity measurements were taken using an appropriate pitot tube following




conventional velocity traverse techniques.  Although these techniques were
                                 -27-

-------
established for power plant use, they were found adequate for the intended




purpose.






                         Analytical Procedures






     As mentioned above, the method for the quantitation of nitrogen dioxide




and nitric oxide, as described in "Selected Methods for the Measurement of




Air Pollutants," loo. ai-t., could not be satisfactorily applied for the




measurement of these two species.  Extensive bleaching of the dye-nitrogen




dioxide complex was often experienced within a few hours, even in the




presence of acetone  (normally added to prevent such interference by a large




excess of sulfur dioxide).  Because of this, nitrogen oxide measurements




were considered unreliable and therefore not reported.




     The sulfur dioxide, quantitatively collected and oxidized to sulfuric




acid in 0.03 N hydrogen peroxide, was determined (1) volumetrically via the




titration of the resulting acid with standard alkali using a color indicator




or a pH meter ("Selected Methods for the Measurement of Air Pollutants,"




loo, sit.), and (2) gravimetrically via precipitation of the highly insoluble




barium sulfate ("Textbook of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis," Kolthoff,




I.M. and Sandell, E. B., the Macmillan Company, New York, 1947).  The




collected samples were in each case quantitated within 24 hours.  Diluted




water solutions of sulfuric acid can be stored in glass for much longer




periods of time without showing any change in hydrogen or sulfate ion




concentration.




     Again, as mentioned above, although this method of collection and




quantitation was designed for ambient air analysis, it was found to be
                                 -28-

-------
applicable for the intended purpose by experimentally demonstrating a.




greater than 98 percent recovery efficiency by using a series of Greenburg-




Smith impingers each containing the peroxide reagent.




     Aldehydes and ketones, collected in 1 percent aqueous sodium bisulfite,




were quantitated via the method of Goldman and Yagoda.20  Thus after excess,




unreacted bisulfite is destroyed with 0.1 and 0.01 N I2 solutions, the




bisulfite-aldehyde and the bisulfite-ketone addition compounds are disso-




ciated in mild alkaline solution.  The liberated bisulfite is then




quantitatively titrated with standard iodine solution of predetermined




concentration using starch as an indicator.  The results are reported as




formaldehyde, CH20.




     Organic acids, reported as .acetic, were quantitated as follows:




Acetic, propionic and butyric via gas chromatography following the




neutralization, concentration, and acidification of the collection media




(aqueous sodium hydroxide), and formic via infrared spectrophotometry,




following neutralization of the reaction media and isolation of salts




resulting from complete evaporation.  Sodium nitrate was used as an




internal standard.




     Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide were determined




gas chromatographically using molecular sieve and silica gel columns at




ancient temperature.




     Methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, i-butane, n-butane,




i-pentane, n-pentane, and other hydrocarbon concentrations were also




quantitated gas chromatographically using a dimethylsulfolane column in




conjunction with a hydrogen-flame ionization detector.  Total hydrocarbon




concentration is reported as methane.







                                 -29-

-------
     Hydrogen cyanide, collected both as the gas and as the salt  in




sodium hydroxide, was determined gas chromatographically and spectrophoto-




metrically by the method of Kratocheil.21  In the latter, the cyanide  ion is




quantitatively converted to cyanogen • chloride with chloraniine-T.  Cyanogen




chloride reacts with pyridine to form glutacon aldehyde.  The latter forms




a violet-colored complex with dimedon which absorbs in the region of 580 to




585 my.  This method is specific for cyanide and extremely sensitive.




Results are reported as hydrogen cyanide.




     Chloride ion concentration was quantitated (1) volumetrically  via




titration with standard silver nitrate using fluorescein as an indicator




("Textbook of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis," Kolthoff and Sandell,




loo. ait.), and (2) spectrophotometrlcally by the method of Martens as




described in an in-house report by the Air Force Rocket Propulsion




Laboratory, Edwards, California.  Results are reported as hydrogen




chloride.




     The fluoride ion concentration was quantitatively determined by




the method of Willard and Winter.  This method involved the volatization




of the fluorine as hydrofluorosilic acid with subsequent titration  of




soluble fluoride and silicofluoride with standard thorium nitrate,  using




a zirconium-alizarin mixture as indicator..22




     The quench water samples were quantitated for chloride using the




methods described above, carbonate via precipitation of the insoluble




barium salt in mildly alkaline solution ("Textbook of Quantitative




Inorganic Analysis," loo.  cit.), and for sulphate and fluoride by methods




also described above.  The total dissolved solids were determined by




evaporation and weighing.







                                 -30-

-------
     Residual organic matter  in the  ash  samples was determined via ether




extraction.  The soluble portion was weighed  after complete  evaporation




of the solvent.




     For the comprehensive analysis  of gaseous stack effluents, identifi-




cation and quantitation of specific  organic components was primarily via




gas chromatography and infrared spectrophotometry.  Wet-chemical  tests




as described in "The Systematic Identification of Organic Compounds,"




by Shriner, R. L. and Fuson,  R. C.,  John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York,




1935, were also employed to establish the presence of various functional




groups.







                 Results of Seasonal Variations Study






     As noted earlier, the East 73rd Street incinerator plant in  Manhattan




had been chosen for this study.  Samples were taken during each of the




four seasons, and the analytical results and  rate of discharge data for




each season were compiled and compared (Tables 2 through 6)  as were the




results of the quench water and the  organic residue analyses (Table 7).




     The carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide values determined in  the




analyses of the emissions from May 1968  to February 1969, are low (Tables




2 through 5J.  This is not indicative of poor combustion efficiency but




rather the result of the dilution of combustion products plus excess




combustion air by a continuous large volume feed of both cooling,




noncombustion air (40,000 cfm) and cooling water (150 gallons per minute),




of which about two-thirds vaporizes.  This relatively large  volume of




cooling air and water that admixes with  the normal effluent  also  reflects




a high effluent to refuse weight ratio.






                                  -31-

-------
                                                  TABLE 2

                        SOME STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE EAST 73RD STREET INCINERATOR,
                                         NEW YORK CITY (MAY 1968)
                             (N2 = 77.7%, 02 = 10.9%, C02 = 2.26%, CO = 0.01%)
Component
Effluent
S02
Total HC
as CH4
Total acids
as HAct
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
HC1*
HF*
HCN*
H2SO"§
Cone.
ppm/v
-
37

410

2


1
70
3
0
53
Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day, 356F)
851 x 106
31,487

348,910

1,702


851
59,570
2,553
-
45,103
Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day, STP*)
511 x 106
18,892

209,346

1,021


511
35,742
1,532
-
27,062
Rate of
discharge
(g. moles, day)
643 x 106
23,804

263,776

1,286


644
45,035
1,930
-
34,098
Ib/day
41 x 106
3352

9328

170


43
3617
85
-
352
Ib/ton
refuse
98 x 103
8

22.1

0.41


0.10
8.6
0.20
-
17.5
     *STP, 30 inches mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC.
     tTotal acids include acetic, propionic, and butyric expressed as acetic acid.
     tChloride, fluoride, cyanide, and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
     SSome contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected; sulfite is air oxidized
to sulfate to some extent in alkaline solution.

-------
I
10
                                                       TABLE 3
                            SOME STACK EMISSIONS  FROM THE  EAST 73RD STREET INCINERATOR,
                                             NEW  YORK CITY (AUGUST  1968)
                              (N2 =  79.3%, 02 =  17.7%,  C02  - 3.03%,  CO  less than 0.01%)

Component
Effluent
S02
Total HC
as CHii
Total acids
as HAct
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
HClt
HF*
HCNt
H2SOit§
Cone.
ppm/v
-
13

9.5

1.5

0.4
81
0
0
31
Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day, 536F)
772 x 106
10,036

7,334

1,158

309
62,532
-
-
23,932
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, STP*)
381 x 106
4,953

3,620

572

152
30,861
-
-
11,811
Rate of
discharge
(g. moles/day)
480 x 106
6,241

4,561

721

192
38,885
-
-
14,882
Ib/day
30.6 x 106
879

161

95

13
3,123
-
-
3,209
Ib/ton
refuse
51 x 103
1.5

0.27

0.16

0.02
5.2
-
-
5.3

          *STP,  30 inches mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC.
          '''Total acids include acetic; propionic, and butyric expressed as acetic acids.
          ^Chloride,  fluoride, cyanide, and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
          §There was  some contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected;  sulfite is air
     oxidized to sulfate to some extent in alkaline solution.

-------
                                                  TABLE 4
                         SOME STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE EAST 73RD STREET INCINERATOR,
                                       NEW YORK CITY (OCTOBER 1968)
                             (N2 • 78.7%, 02 = 18.2%, C02 = 3.0%, CO = 0.05%)
Component
Effluentt
S02
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
Effluent*
Total HC as CHi,
Total acids
as HAci
HC11
HFH
HCNH
H2SOi,#
Cone.
ppm/v
-
31
4.0
-
16
1
41
0
0
41
Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day, °F)
751 x 106(532)
23,281
3,004
824 x 106(527)
13,184
824
33,784
-
-
33,784
Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day, SIP*)
375 x 106
11,641
1,502
412 x 106
6,592
412
16,892
-
-
16,892
Rate of
discharge
(g. moles/day)
473 x 106
14,668
1,893
519 x 106
8,306
519
21,284
-
-
21,284
Ib/day
30 x 106
2,065
125
33 x 106
292
69
1,709
-
-
4,589
Ib/ton
refuse
71 x 103
5
0.30
52 x 103
0.46
0.11
3.7
-
-
7.3
     *STP, 30 inches mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC.
     tlwo furnaces in operation.
     tlhree furnaces in operation.                                                          ,
     §Total acids include acetic, propionic, and butyric expressed as acetic acid.
     ^Chloride, fluoride, cyanide, and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
     tfSome contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected; sulfite is air oxidized
to sulfate to some extent in alkaline solution.

-------
                                                  TABLE 5
                        SOME STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE EAST 73RD STREET INCINERATOR,
                                      NEW YORK CITY (FEBRUARY 1969)
                              (Nz = 78.2%, 02 = 18.7%, C02 = 2.98%,  CO = 0.05%)

Component
Effluent
S02
Total HC
as CHi*
Total acids
as HAct
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
HClt
HFt
HCN*
H2S04§
Cone.
ppm/v
-
39
60
<1
2.3
76
0
0
49
Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day, 527F)
700 x 106
27,300
42,000
<700
1,610 .
53,200
-
-
34,200
Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day, STP*)
350 x 106
13,700
21,000
<350
805
26,600
-
-
17,100
Rate of
discharge
(g. moles/day)
441 x 106
17,300
26,400
<440
1,010
33,500
-
-
21,500
Ib/day
28 x 106
2,430
940
<58
66
2,700
-
-
4,600
Ib/ton
refuse
67 x 103
5.8
2.14

-------
                            TABLE 6

   SOME STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE EAST 73RD STREET INCINERATOR,
      NEW YORK CITY (SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER 1968-69)
                       (Ib/ton of refuse)
Emission
S02
Total HC as CH^
Total acids as HAc
Total aldehydes and
ketones as HCHO
HC1
HF
H2SOi4
Spring
8
22.1
0.41
0.10
8.6
0.20
17.5
Summer
1.5
0.27
0.16
0.02
5.2
0
5.3
Fall ,
5*
0.46t
O.llt
0.30*
2.7t
Ot
7.3t
Winter
5.8
2.14
<0.14
0.16
6.4
0
11.0
*Two furnaces in operation.

tThree furnaces in operation.
                             -36-

-------
                                TABLE 7

        ANALYSIS OF QUENCH WATER AND ORGANIC CONTENT OF RESIDUE
         FROM THE EAST 73RD STREET INCINERATOR, NEW YORK CITY
                (SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER 1968-69)
Component                    Spring      Summer      Fall        Winter

                             	Quench water	
pH                             55        10-11
Total dissolved solids
rag /ml
Cl~ (mg/ml)
C03= + POiT + Si03~
as C03* (mg/ml)
S04= (mg/ml)
0.20
0.04
0.45
0.03
2.1
0.22
0.10
0.23
2.0
0.38
0.10
0.24
4.1
0.55
0.14
0.27
                                              Ashes
Percent by weight
 ether soluble                 3.0         2.7      1.9            0.4
                                  -37-

-------
     The seasonal measurements of refuse were compared in pounds per  ton




(Table 6).  Spring values were the highest, with the exception of total




aldehydes.  Hydrogen fluoride was only found in samples taken in the




spring, at the East 73rd Street incine-rator.  Summer measurements appeared




in general to be -the lowest with organic acids and hydrogen chloride  as




exceptions.  The least amount of hydrogen chloride was found in samples




collected in the fall; the highest quantities were found in the winter




and in the spring.  This would seem to indicate that the refuse was




generally richer in polymeric (plastic) wastes during the winter and  spring




seasons, which was the case when the composition of refuse was compared




at the Oceanside municipal incinerator plant throughout one year (Table 1).




     Sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid values, as might be expected, seemed




to be related (Tables 2 through 6); in other words, they were both either




high, intermediate, or low at the same time.  Total organic acid values




remained essentially constant as did the total aldehydes.




     Since the East 73rd Street municipal plant was operating normally




during each period that samples were taken, it must be concluded that




variations in effluent composition were due primarily to the changing




nature of the refuse charge.




     The quench water was richer in dissolved solids during the winter




while the ether-soluble organic content of the residue was the lowest at




this time (Table 7).  These two related facts indicate a high combustion




efficiency at least at the time samples were taken.  They are, of course,




also indicative of the nature of the charge.  The dissolved-solids content




of the quench water was lowest in the spring, while organics in the residual
                                 -38-

-------
ash were the highest during this season.  The fact that this indicates




lower combustion efficiency is contradictory to the fact that the highest




rates of discharge of inorganics were recorded in the spring.  Incineration




temperatures would also be expected to run somewhat higher during this




season because of the increased plastics content of the refuse charge.  On




the other hand, the presence of increased quantities of bulky furniture and




of grass and garden trimmings would be expected to have an opposite effect.




     Summer and fall quench water and residue did not seem to differ




significantly.
                                  -39-

-------
               Results of the Incinerator Comparison Study






        The East 73rd Street in Manhattan, the Hamilton Avenue in Brooklyn,




   the Oceanside on Long Island and the Flushing in Queens were the four




   municipal incinerator plants chosen to compare possible differences in




   construction and design.  Stack effluent from each was sampled and




   analyzed both during Fall 1968 and Winter 1968-69.  The analytical




   results and rate of discharge data for each during both seasons were




   tabulated (Tables 4, 5 and 8 through 13); they were also compared as




   pounds per ton of refuse (Table 14).





     A comparison was also made of  the  results of the quench water analyses




and the organic contents of the ashes (Table 15).




     In general,  the lowest rate of discharge values were recorded at the




Flushing Municipal Incinerator plant, a batch-type unit (Table 14).   The




residue at this plant, however, was relatively rich in gross organic matter,




for example,  hair,  vegetable and fruit  pieces, charred paper, etc. (Table 15).




In this case,  the low emission values were indicative of relatively inef-




ficient combustion.




     Thus, the relative incineration efficiencies of various different




incinerator plants cannot be evaluated  on the basis of the magnitude of




gaseous emission values alone.  A consideration of the composition of the




residue is necessary.




     Of the three continuous units, the lowest rate of discharge values




were recorded at the Hamilton Avenue incinerator plant in the fall and, in




general, in the winter as well (Table 14).  This was somewhat surprising for
                                  -40-

-------
                                                 TABLE 8

                SOME STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE HAMILTON AVE. INCINERATOR, NEW YORK CITY
                                        (OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1968)




J.
1






Component
Effluent
S02
Total HC
as CHi,
Total Acids
as HAc+
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
HC1*
HF*
HCN*
H2SO»+'S

Cone.
ppm/v
-
24
4.21

^
0.6


45
0
0
40

Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, 923F)
687 x 106
16.488
2885

<687
412


30,915
-
-
27,480

Rate of
discharge
(ftVday, STP*)
245 x 106
5880
1027

<245
147


11,025
-
-
9800

Rate of
discharge
(g. moles/day)
309 x 106
7416
1294

<309
185


13,900
_
-
12,360

Ib/day
20 x 106
1044
45.6

<40.8
12


1116
-
-
2665

Ib/ton
refuse
4 x 10"
2.1
0.09

<0.08
0.024


2.2
-
-
5.3

     *STP, 30 inches mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC .

     ^Total acids include acetic, propionic and butyric  expressed as acetic acid.

     ^Chloride, fluoride, cyanide, and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
             contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected; sulfite is air
oxidized to sulfate to same extent in alkaline solution.

     *A total hydrocarbon concentration of 20 ppm/v was recorded two weeks later under apparently
the same (incinerator) operational conditions.

-------
                                                TABLE 9
SOME STACK
EMISSIONS FROM THE HAMILTON AVE. INCINERATOR, NEW YORK CITY
(JANUARY 1969)

Component

Effluent
S02
Total HC
as CHi»
Total acids
as HAc"1"
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as ECHO
HCl*
HF*
HCN*
H2SO,,+'§
Cone.
ppm/v
-
15
8.0

<1
2.0


89
0.9
0
50
Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day,.:608F)
600 x 106
9000
4800

<600
1200


53,400
540
-
30,000
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, STP*)
276 x 106
4150
2210

<276
550


24,600
250
-
13,800
Rate of
discharge
(g. moles /day)
348 x 106
5200
2800

<350
693


31*000
315
_
17,400
Ib/day

22 x 106
730
100

<46
45


2480
14
_
3730
Ib/ton
refuse
4.4 x 10"
1.5
0.2

<0.08
0.09


5.0
0.03
_
7.5
     *STP, 30 inches mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC.
     "''Total acids include acetic, propionic and  butyric expressed as acetic acid.
     *Chloride, fluoride, cyanide, and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
             contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected; sulfite is air
oxidized to sulfate to same extent in alkaline solution.

-------
                                                     TABLE 10
I
?
SOME
STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE OCEANSIDE INCINERATOR, LONG ISLAND NUMBER 3 FURNACE
(NOVEMBER 1968)

Component
Effluent
SO 2
Total HC
as CHi«
Total acids
as HAc1"
Cone.
ppm/v
-
33

240
1
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, 554F)
183 x 106
6039

43,920
183
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, STP*)
89 x 106
2937

21,360
89
Rate of Ib/day
discharge
(g. moles/day)
112 x 106 7 x 106
3696 520

26,880 946
112 15
Ib/ton
refuse
47 x 103
3.5

6.3
0.1
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
HC1*
HF*
H2SO,,*'5
*STP, 30
0.7
113
0
76
128
20,679
0
13,908
inches mercury and 32F or 760
^Total acids include
^Chloride
~X~c
, fluoride,
acetic, propionic
62
10,057
0
6,764
mm mercury and OC.
and butyric expressed
78 5
12,656 1016
0 0
8,512 1835

as acetic acid.
0.03
6.8
0
12


and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
             3Same contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected; sulfite is air
      oxidized to sulfate to same extent in alkaline solution.

-------
                                                 TABLE 11
SOME STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE OCEANSIDE INCINERATOR, LONG ISLAND, NUMBER 3 FURNACE
(FEBRUARY 1969)
(N2 = 78.9%, 02 = 19.8%, C02 = 1.25%, CO <0.01%)

Component


Effluent
S02
Total HC
as CH.it
Total acids
as HAc"f
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
HC1*
HF*
H2SO,,*'5
Cone.
ppm/v

-
27

150

1


0.26
96
0.65
46
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, 545F)
180 x 10 6
4,900

27,000

180


47
17,300
12
8,300
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, STP*)
88 x 106
2,400

13,200

88


23
8,500
5.7
4,100
Rate of
discharge
(g. moles/day)
111 x 10 6
3,000

16,600

111


29
11,700
7.2
5,200
Ib/day


7 x 106
430

590

14.4


0.19
940
0.32
1,130
Ib/ton
refuse

46.7 x 103
2.9

3.94

0.10


0.001
6.3
0.002
7.5

     *STP, 30 inches mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC.
     ^Total acids include acetic, propionic and butyric  expressed as acetic acid.
     ^Chloride, fluoride, and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
     + §
      ' Same contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected; sulfite is air
oxidized to sulfate to same extent in alkaline solution.

-------
                                                      TABLE 12
i.
V


Component

Effluent**
Total acids
as HAc"!"
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
HC1*
HF*
* 5
HaSOi, '
Effluent***
SO 2
Total HC
as CHi,
SOME

Cone.
ppm/v

-

1


9.2
38
0
39
-
20

160
STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE FLUSHING INCINERATOR, NEW YORK CITY

Rate of
discharge
(ft3/day, °F)
257 x 106 (698)

257


2364
9766
0
10,023
158 x 106 (581)
3160

25,280
(NOVEMBER 1968)
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, STP*)
111 x 106

111


1021
4218
0
4329
74 x 106
1480

11,840

Rate of
discharge
(g. moles /day)
140 x 10 6

140


1288
5320
0
5460
93 x 106
860

14,880

Ib/day

9 x 106

18.5


85
427
0
1177
6 x 106
262

524

Ib/ton
refuse

3 x 10"

0.06


0.28
1.4
0
3.9
3 x 10"
1.3

2:6
            *STP, 30 inches mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC.
            **Three furnaces in operation.
            ***xwO furnaces in operation.
            ^Total acids include acetic, propionic, and  butyric expressed as acetic acid.
            ^Chloride, fluoride, and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
                    contribution by  sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected; sulfur is air
       oxidized to sulfate to  same extent in alkaline solution.

-------
                                               TABLE 13
SOME STACK EMISSIONS FROM THE FLUSHING INCINERATOR, NEW YORK CITY
(FEBRUARY 1969)
(N2 = 79.3%, 02 = 19.4%, C02 = 1.32%, CO <0.01%)

Component
Effluent
S02
Total HC
as CKi,
Total acids
as HAc"*"
Total Aldehydes
and ketones
as HCHO
HCl*
HF*
H2SOi,t>5
Cone.
ppm/v
-
29

21
1

0.84
40
0.85
25
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, 831F)
272 x 106
7,900

5,700
270

230
10,900
230
6,800
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, STP*)
104 x 106
3,010

2,180
104

87
4,160
88
2,600
Rate of
discharge
(g. moles /day)
131 x 10 6
3,800

2,750
131

110
5,250
111
3,280
Ib/day
8.4 x 106
530

96
17

7.2
420
4.8
700
Ib/ton
refuse
2.8 x 106
1.8

0.32
0.06

0.024
1.4
0.16
2.34

     *STP, 30 inches of mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC.

      Total acids include acetic, propionic and  butyric expressed as acetic acid.

     ^Chloride, fluoride, and sulfate are expressed as the respective acids.
     •I, g
      ' Same contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected; sulfite is air
oxidized to sulfate to same extent in alkaline solution.                      -

-------
                                                    TABLE 14
•vl
SOME STACK
EMISSIONS FROM MUNICIPAL INCINERATORS IN THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA
FALL 1968 AND WINTER 1968-69
(Ib/ton refuse)

Emission
SO 2
Total HC
as CHi»
Total acids
as HAc
Total Aldehydes
.and ketones
as HCHO
HC1
HF*

73rd
St.
5*
0.461"
O.ll1"
0.30*
0+
7.3f
FALL
Hamilton
Ave.
2.1
0.09
<0.08
0.024
0
5.3
WINTER
Ocean- Flushing'
side
3.5 1.3*
6.3 2.6*
0.1 0.06f
0.03 0.28
6.8 1.4"1"
0 0"*"
12 3.9f
73rd
St.
5.8
2,14
0.14
0.16
6.4
0
11.0
Hamilton
Ave.
1.5
0.02
0.08
0.09
5.TJ
0.03
7.5
Ocean-
side
2.9
3.9
0.1
0.001
6.3
0.002
7.5
Flushing
1.8
0.32
0.06
0.024
1.4
0.16
2.3

           *Two furnaces  in operation.
           "'"Three  furnaces  in operation.
            Defection  limit of analytical method,  0.02 ppm/j^in gaseous effluent.

-------
                                                  TABLE 15

                  ANALYSIS OF QUENCH WATER AND ORGANIC CONTENT OF ASHES FROM FOUR MUNICIPAL
                             INCINERATORS IN THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA
                                         (FALL 1968, WINTER 1968-69)
*-
00

73rd St.
ph
Total dissolved
solids (mg/ml)
Hamilton Avenue
10-11, 9

2

.0, 4.1

0
9,

.90,
Anionic
Cl~
C03= + PO^ + Si03~
as C03=
S0,=
0

0
0
.38, 0.55

.10, 0.14
.24, 0.27
0

0
0
.09,

.14,
.08,
9

5


.6
content
0

0
0
.85

.15
.40
Ashes
% wt. ether
soluble
1

.9, 0.4

4

.0,

1.

4

Oceans ide
7, 6

-, -
(mg/ml)
~ 9 "~

0.16, 0.32
0.04, 1.48
j.
1.9 , 0.7

Flushing
7

1

0

0
0

0

.1,

.0,

.05

.24
.04

.9*

9

1.8

, 0.34

, 0.07
, 0.12

, 1.6*


                   *0rganic  (gross) residue recognizable, e.g., hair, vegetable and  fruit pieces,
              charred paper, etc.  This is not included in the ether-soluble organic residue.

                    Unwashed, fine, dry, ashes from  cool furnace grating;  charred  pieces of  paper
              visible.

-------
two reasons.  First, because a noticeable quantity of industrial refuse,




Including some synthetic textile, was normally incinerated at this plant




together with the domestic and household material.  Second, because of the




three continuous units, the Hamilton Avenue plant was the only one without




water sprays.  Why inorganic  gaseous emissions per unit weight of refuse




should have been higher at the two plants outfitted with water sprays can-




not be fully explained.  It should be mentioned, however, that the residue




from the Hamilton Avenue plant contained the largest amount of ether-soluble




organic material (Table 15).




     Airborne emission from the East 73rd Street incinerator stack was




relatively richer in sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid.  The Oceanside in-




cinerator gaseous stack effluent had the highest hydrocarbon content.




Organic acids values were essentially the same in all cases.  Hydrogen




fluoride was found in the effluent from three of the four units only in the




winter samples (Tables 5, 9, 11, 13 and 14).




     Quench water from the Flushing plant had the lowest amount of dis-




solved solids.  The grate ash from this plant was also richest in gross




organic residue (Table 15).  Anionic contents of quench water samples taken,




during the fall and again in the winter, from each of the four incinerator




plants were compared (Table 15).  Carbonate values for all samples were




essentially the same.  Sulfate values were higher in the winter than In the




fall.




     Grate ashes from the Oceanside and the East 73rd Street incinerators




contained essentially the same quantities of ether-soluble organics (Table




15).
                                  -49-

-------
              Detailed Analysis of Gaseous Stack Effluent






     As noted earlier, samples for the comprehensive analysis were taken at




the Oceanside municipal incinerator plant in Hempstead, Long Island, and




were representatively collected at a point beyond the fly-ash arrestors,




downstream of the induced draft fan, whenever normally dry refuse was being




incinerated in furnace No. A.   The analytical results and rate of discharge




data were compared (Table 16).



     The components of the gaseous effluent resulting from the incineration




of municipal refuse are many,  and representative of numerous classes of



both organic and Inorganic substances.   Thus one or more compounds repre-



sentative of aliphatic, saturated and unsaturated,  and aromatic hydrocarbons,




organic adds, alcohols, keto alcohols, ketones, .aldehydes, phenols,



halogen, and other inorganic acids and inorganic acid anhydrides were iden-



tified (Table 16).  Also evidenced were the very toxic hydrogen cyanide and



selenium.






                         Miscellaneous Studies




     In evaluating periodical variations in the concentration of any one




major component of incinerator stack effluent, it is quite Important to be



cognizant of variations over periods shorter than the ones In question.




Thus, concentration variations due to seasonal changes will become mean-




ingful only after having a knowledge of variations within a season while a




record of monthly variations becomes meaningful only after having knowledge




of variations which occur from week to week or day to day.  Clearly, con-




tinuous monitoring of the species is the ultimate answer.
                                  -50-

-------
                                    TABLE 16

 SOME GASEOUS EMISSIONS FROM THE OCEANS IDE INCINERATOR,  HEMPSTEAD,  LONG ISLAND
[N2 - 79.9%, 02 = 13.55%,  13.4%, 12.8%, 11.6%;  C02 = 6.15%,  6.23%,  5.73%,  7.4%;
 CO - 0.037%, 0.027%,  0.046%, 0.090%;  H20 - 8.4 o/v(5.3  o/w),  8.2 o/v(5.3  o/w)]
Component Cone. Cone. Rate of Rate of Rate of Ib/day Refuse Comments
(ppm/wt.) (ppm/v) discharge discharge discharge (Ib/ton)
(ft'/day, 600F) (ft3/day, STP*) (g. moles/day)
Effluent1"
Methane
Ethane
and
acetylene
High
u, boiling
V hydro-
carbon

Benzene
Formic
Acid
Acetic
acid
Methanol
Ethanol
n-Butyl
alcohol
n-Amyl
alcohol
115 x 10*
3.0 5.6 644






0.04 0.007 0.81

0.005 0.002 0.23

114 70 8,050

1.2 0.6 69
0.05 0.04 4.6
0.01 0.06 6.9

0.01 0.004 0.46

0.01 0.004 0.46
53 x 106 67 x 106 4.2 x 106 14 x 103 No. 2 Furnace
297 375 13 .04


Traces



0.37 0.47 0.17 0.0006 Class ident. by
I.R., M.W.^OO
0.11 0.13 0.021 0.00007

3,700 4,700 480 1.6

32 40 5.0 0.017
2.1 2.6 0.21 0.0007
3.2 4.0 0.42 0.0014

0.21 0.26 0.04 0.0001

0.21 0.26 0.04 0.0001

-------
                               TABLE 16 CCont'd.)

  SOME GASEOUS  EMISSIONS  FROM THE OCEANSIDE  INCINERATOR,  HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND
[N2 = 79.9%,  02 = 13.55%, 13.4%,  12.8%, 11.6%;  C02  = 16.15%,  6.23%,  5.73%,  7.4%;
 CO - 0.037%,  0.027%,  0.046%, 0.090%; H20 =  8.4 o/v(5.3 o/w),  8.2  o/v(5.3 o/w)]

Component Cone .
(ppm/wt.)
High M.W.
alcohol

Keto
alcohol

Acetone
Methyethyl
ketone
Acetaldehyde
Phenol
Alkyl halides
Hydrogen
cyanide
Hydrofluoric
acid*
Hydrochloric
acid*
Selenium
0.04


0.04

12.4
0.05
0.07
0.2
NONE
0.04
1.0
131
0.05
Cone. Rate of Rate of Rate of Ib/day
(ppm/v) discharge discharge discharge
(ftVday, 600F) (ftVday, STP*) (g. moles/day)
0.007


0.007

6.1
0.02
0.04
0.06
DETECTED
0.04
1.4
102
0.02
0.81


0.81

700
2.3
4.6
6.9
-
4.6
160
11,700
2.3
0.37


0.37

320
1.2
2.1
3.2
-
2.1
74
5,400
1.2
0.47


0.47

420
1.5
2.6
4.0
-
2.6
93
6,800
1.5
0.17


0.17

52
0.21
0.30
0.84
-
0.17
4.2
550 *
0.21
Refuse
(Ib/ton)
.0006


.0006

0.17
0.0007
0.001
0.003
-
0.0006
0.014
1.83
0.0007
Comments
Class ident. by
I.R. , M.W. ^200

Class ident. by
I.R. , M.W. ^200




limit of sensi-
tivity <0.07 ppm
found in only
one sample


Se or as H2Se
                                                                                     by volume

-------
                                                   TABLE 16 (Cont'd.)

                     SOME GASEOUS EMISSIONS FROM THE OCEANS IDE INCINERATOR,  HEMPSTEAD,  LONG ISLAND
                    [N2 = 79.9%,  02 = 13.55%,  13.4%, 12.8%, 11.6%;  C02 = 16.15%,  6.23%, 5.73%,  7.4%;
                     CO = 0.037%, 0.027%,  0.046%, 0.090%; H20 - 8.4 o/v(5.3  o/w), 8.2 o/v(5.3 o/w)]
Component Cone .
(ppm/wt . )
Effluent!
H2SO^*'§§
S02
Cone.
(ppm/v)
-
76
33
Rate of
discharge
Cft3/day, 600F)
183 x 10 6
13,908
6,039
Rate of
discharge
(ft3 /day, STP*)
89 x 106
6,764
2,937
Rate of
discharge
(g. moles /day)
112 x 106
8,512
3,696
Ib/day
7 x 106
1,835
520
Refuse
(Ib/ton)
47 x 103
12
3.5
Comments
No. 3 Furnace


         ?, 30 inches mercury and 32F or 760 mm mercury and OC.

'      '''Stack effluent from No. 2 furnace.

       Sulfate expressed as the acid.

      §Stack effluent from No. 3 furnace.
      ± §§
          Same contribution by sulfur dioxide although sulfite was not detected;  sulfite is  air  oxidized  to  sulfate
 to same extent in alkaline solution.

-------
     For example, on May 23, 1968, the concentration of total hydrocarbons
as methane In the effluent from the stack, of the East 73rd Street incin-
erator was recorded as 410 ppm by volume (Table 2).   An additional six
samples of the effluent were subsequently similarly  taken  on different
days  and each analyzed for total hydrocarbons as methane.  The results
were as follows:
                                            CH4
                 Date	(ppm/v)
                June 18                    350
                June 19                      4.6
                June 20                      3.2
                June 26                      8.5
                June 27                      4.7
                June 28                      4.2
Thus, two high, one in May and one in June,  and five normal values were
recorded over a relatively short period.   Wet refuse may have been re-
sponsible for the first peak concentration (May 23).  The reason for the
second peak concentration (June 18) was not  known.   It is nevertheless
important to note that such situations can arise.   Clearly, the magni-
tude of these variations must be taken into  account in evaluating concen-
tration changes at long time-intervals.
     It has been suggested that the combustion product of cigarette paper
may prove hazardous to the smoker's health because of its selenium content.
Since many tons of various kinds of paper and paper products are daily
incinerated in a metropolitan area such as New York City, it became of
                                  -54-

-------
particular interest to record selenium concentrations in municipal incin-

erator stack emission.  The Oceanside municipal incinerator plant was

chosen for this study.

     Samples of incinerator stack effluent condensable at 0°C (see section

on "Sampling Apparatus" and "Detailed Analysis of Stack Effluent") and

samples of stack effluent collected in a Greenburg-Smith impinger containing

IN NaOH and fly ash were quantitated spectrophotometrically for selenium.*

     The concentration of selenium in the three sample fractions collected

were compared (Table 17}.  Essentially all of this element and its compounds

seemed .to be concentrated in fly ash collected from the (cyclone) fly ash

arresters.

                                Table 17

      CONCENTRATION OF SELENIUM IN STACK EFFLUENT AT THE OCEANSIDE
             MUNICIPAL INCINERATOR, HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND


               Fraction                       ppm/wt
      0°C Trap condensate                      0.05
      Aq. NaOH solubles (impinger)             0.01**
      Fly ash                                  0.7
*The sample is oxidized with cone, nitric acid.  SelV reacts with 2,3-di-
aminonaphthalene to form a red-colored and strongly fluorescent complex.
The fluorescence intensity is measured at an exciting wave length of 390 my
and a fluorescent wave length of 590 my.  A linear calibration curve is
obtained over the range 0 to 1 pg Se for 10 ml toluene (used to extract
the complex).  The absorbance of the solution sample is determined at
390 mp.  The calibration curves follow Beer's law over the range 0 to 20 ug
Se per 5 ml toluene in a 1-cm cell at this wavelength.  Publication pending,
Manual of Methods for Ambient Air Sampling and Analysis, Intersociety Com-
mittee, to be published by American Public Health Association, 1015-18th
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

**The sensitivity of the analytical procedure used to quantitate selenium
is less than 0.01 vg.
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                            General Comments








     The tabulated data clearly speaks for itself.  Thus it becomes




immediately apparent that municipal incinerator gaseous effluent is sig-




nificantly richer in inorganics such as hydrogen chloride, sulfuric acid,




and sulfur dioxide than in organics such as hydrocarbons, aldehydes,




alcohols, ketones, esters, and organic acids.  The presence of such rela-




tively high concentrations of stable inorganic products and generally low




concentrations of relatively unstable (at incinerator operating conditions)




organic products indicates a high combustion efficiency.  Hydrogen chloride




is mainly a product of the incineration of chlorinated plastic material such



as polyvinyl chloride, while the incineration of sulfur-containing synthetic




and natural rubber products undoubtedly contributes to the overall emission




of sulfur oxides and sulfuric acid.   Teflon-like products and some insecti-




cides would be a source of hydrogen fluoride.




     In order to control air pollution and to eliminate, insofar as possible,




corrosion of metallic incinerator parts,  better control of these emissions




is indicated.




     Also clear and quite important is the fact that the total hydrocarbon




concentration in the effluent varied significantly over relatively short




periods of time.  Thus, if the concentrations of other gaseous species




change with equal frequency, the tabulated results must be evaluated with




this fact in mind.  Continuous variations in the solid content of the




quench water and in the organic content of the residual ash might also
                                -56-

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be expected.  With respect to the latter, the question of a truly repre-




sentative sample also arises.







                    RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE WORK




     A survey of the literature and a review of the data on airborne emis-




sions from municipal incinerators clearly indicated a limited knowledge in




this area and a real need for additional, basic information.  This need was




only in part satisfied as a result of the field and laboratory experimental




work described and evaluated in this report.  And, thus, although the above




recorded, experimental data are extremely informative and significant, they




clearly indicate a need for supplementary and new, additional studies.




     Municipal incinerator stack eff-luent is richer in inorganic than in




organic components.  Most of the inorganics are toxic and corrosive.  Means




should be sought to decrease such  undesirable emissions by modification of




operational conditions and procedures to include the addition of a carbonate




for example, to the refuse charge, or by use of practical control equip-




ment.  Further study in this area is also indicated.




     The concentration of hydrocarbons and probably of other species in




incinerator gaseous emission varies significantly over short time inter-




vals.  A knowledge of such variations, during normal operation of the




incinerator unit, is necessary in order to correctly extrapolate  and




evaluate measurements taken at infrequent intervals.




     Incineration efficiency cannot be evaluated on the basis of the magni-




tude of gaseous emission values alone.  A thorough consideration of the
                                  -57-

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furnace residue appears also to be necessary in order to arrive at a mean-




ingful conclusion.  Study of this aspect should be expanded.  Elemental




material balances should prove quite valuable.




     Water spray chambers designed to cool the very hot furnace combustion




products prior to discharge do not seem effective In removing water-soluble




gaseous products.  This question might be resolved by a quantitative analysis




of the gaseous incineration products (on a dry basis) before entering the




water spray chamber and after leaving it, in conjunction with an analysis




of the discharged spray water.




     Gaseous emissions from rotary kiln incinerators have not been ade-




quately evaluated.  Such units are still being used to incinerate municipal




refuse in some major cities in the United States, for example the Coconut




Grove incinerator in Miami and the Southwest incinerator in Chicago.  Com-




prehensive discharge data from such units would be extremely informative




and valuable.




     The town of North Hempstead, Long Island, incinerates municipal refuse




In rocking grate furnace units with unusually long secondary combustion




chambers.   Gaseous stack emission from such units might be expected to be




lower In organic content.  Substantiation of this will prove quite valuable




especially in planning construction of future incinerator plants.




     Emission resulting from the incineration of other than municipal and




household,  domestic refuse have not been adequately labelled.   Most hos-




pital complexes in the New York City and other large metropolitan areas




are equipped with "pathologic" incinerators.  These units are used to in-




cinerate refuse that the city is not permitted by law to collect,  such as






                                  -58-

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dead animals and animal waste, Infectious bandages, pads and wrappings,



disposable containers, bacterial cultures and bacteriologic, pathologic,



biological, and surgery wastes.  Such waste is usually rich in plastics.




     These incinerators range in size.  The Montefiore unit in the Bronx,



New York City, can handle 750 Ibs per day.  Some are built to incinerate



as much as 3,000 Ibs per day.




     There are 20 municipal and over 100 private hospitals in the city




of New 'fork..  Each incinerate different quantities of these unique



solid wastes.  The total amount incinerated daily is significant.




Emissions and rates of discharge from such incinerator units should be



recorded.




     Most municipal incinerators usually shut down late-on Saturday and



resume operations early on the following Monday.  During the shutdown




and the startup operations, the furnace units do not operate at design



capacity, and incineration efficiencies may be low.   Thus stack emis-



sions during these periods are probably relatively rich in organics.



The overall total hydrocarbons,  organic acids,  aldehydes, esters, etc.,




emitted during one or two hours may possibly be as much as the total



six-day emission of these substances when the incinerator is operating




normally.  It thus becomes important to establish the composition of




the stack effluent and to determine the rate of discharge of various



major components during the few hours preceding and up to shutdown




and during the few Hours following startup until the incinerator




operates normally.
                                 -59-

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