Tar removal is one of the greatest technical challenges of commercial gasification technologies. To find an efficient way to destroy tar with plasma, a rotating gliding arc (RGA) discharge reactor equipped with a fan-shaped swirling generator was used for model tar destruction in this study. The solution of toluene, naphthalene and phenanthrene is used as a tar surrogate and is destroyed in humid nitrogen. The influence of tar, CO2 and moisture concentrations, and the discharge current on the destruction efficiency is emphasized. In addition, the combination of Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst with plasma was tested for plasma catalytic tar destruction. The toluene, naphthalene and phenanthrene destruction efficiency reached up to 95.2%, 88.9%, and 83.9% respectively, with a content of 12 g/Nm3 tar, 12% moisture, 15% CO2, and a flow rate of 6 NL/min, whereas 9.3 g/kW·h energy efficiency was achieved. The increase of discharge current is advantageous in terms of decreasing black carbon production. The participation of Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst shows considerable improvement in destruction efficiency, especially at a relatively high flow rate (over 9 NL/min). The major liquid by-products are phenylethyne, indene, acenaphthylene and fluoranthene. The first two are majorly converted from toluene, acenaphthylene is produced by the co-reaction of toluene and naphthalene in the plasma, and fluoranthene is converted by phenanthrene.

No abstract

The adsorption of the 17 toxic 2,3,7,8-substituted dioxin congeners onto graphite was investigated using a laboratoryscale fixed-bed adsorption system. First, the morphology and microstructure of graphite were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Brunauer-Emmer-Teller surface estimation. Removal efficiency of the 17 toxic PCDD/Fs varies from 89.31% to 99.96% and the amount adsorbed on graphite is a linear function of the inlet concentration of PCDD/Fs, as it was varied from 2.3-20.7 ng I-TEQ Nm -3 . Operating over 3 hours, it is observed that the saturation time of fixed-bed adsorbers is less when the inlet concentration is higher. The removal efficiency of dioxin depends on vapour pressure and rises strongly with increasing chlorine substitution number. Removal efficiencies strongly correlate with vapour pressure, with R 2 0.96 for PCDDs and 0.99 for PCDFs, respectively. The removal efficiency of dioxin decreases linearly as the temperature increased (R 2 = 0.99). Possibly, π-π interactions between PCDD/Fs and graphite sheets lead to a high adsorption capacity of dioxin. The high mesopores volume and pore structure of graphite are critical factors when adsorbing dioxin.

Mechanochemical treatment reduces the particle size of fly ash and disperses catalytic metals, raising the potential reactivity of fly ash to form and destroy 'dioxins', i.e., polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD + PCDF or PCDD/F). To test this issue, model fly ash (MFA) samples were artificially composed by mixing silica, sodium chloride, and activated carbon, and doping this matrix with five selected catalytic metal chlorides administered as CuCl 2 •2H 2 O, CrCl 3 •6H 2 O, FeCl 3 (anhydrous), ZnCl 2 and anhydrous CaCl 2 . Without additives, these samples were first finely milled for 0 (blank), 1 and 8 h, and the effect on the formation of PCDD/F was investigated during de novo tests. These simulate the conditions prevailing in deposits in the heat-recovery zone of an incinerator, where dioxins are formed and destroyed, and the tests were conducted at the same temperature, reaction time and air flow rate. Metal chlorides produce specific and distinct homologue and isomer patterns. The isomer signatures of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/F, precursor route, and other congeners were recognised and are studied in some detail. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the 2,3,7,8-PCDD/F-congeners, indicating CuCl 2 as major contributor of WHO2005-TEQ values. Surprisingly, for CuCl 2 •2H 2 O the total yield of dioxins reduced drastically with milling. Since this study revealed various unexpected results, as well as experimental limitations, some suggestions for further ongoing work are formulated.

No abstract

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash has been classified as hazardous waste and needs treatment in an environmentally safe manner. Mechanochemical (MC) treatment is such a detoxification method, since it destroys dioxins and solidifies heavy metals. Milling, however, also introduces supplemental metals (Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn…), following wear of both steel balls and housing. Milling moreover reduces the particle size of fly ash and disperses catalytic metal, potentially rising the reactivity of fly ash to form and destroy 'dioxins', i.e. polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD + PCDF or PCDD/F). To test this issue, model fly ash (MFA) samples were composed by mixing of silica, sodium chloride, and activated carbon, and doped with CuCl. Then, these samples were first finely milled without any additives for 0 h (original sample), 1 h and 8 h, and the effect of milling time (and hence particle size) was investigated on the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and of polychlorinated phenols (CP), benzenes (CBz), biphenyls (PCB) and dioxins (PCDD + PCDF) during de novo tests at 300 °C for 1 h, thus simulating the conditions prevailing in the post-combustion zone of an incinerator, where dioxins are formed and destroyed. These compounds are all characterized by their rate of generation (ng/g MFA) and their signature, i.e. internal distribution over congeners as a means of gathering mechanistic indications. PAH and CBz total yield did not decrease in MC treated MFA with milling time, while total pentachlorophenol (PeCP), PCB and PCDD/F yield decreased up to 86, 94 and 97%, respectively. International Toxic Equivalents (I-TEQ) concentration decreased more than 90%, while degree of chlorination varied inconsistently for PCB and PCDD/F, and average congener patterns of PCDD/F do not vary considerably with milling time for both gas and solid phase.

No abstract

No abstract