The Flux of Metals Through Municipal Solid Waste Incinerators

Abstract

In two full scale municipal solid waste incinerators, M and B, the transfer of metals and non-metals from waste to slag, to electrostatic precipitator (ESP) dust, and to flue gas was investigated. If the input of an element into the furnace M is taken as 100%, the following partitioning was observed: carbon, slag 1.6%, ESP-dust 0.4%, flue gas 98%; sulphur 34, 26, 40; fluorine 34, 39, 27; chlorine 13, 20, 67; iron 99, 1, 0.02 ; copper 89, 10, 1; zinc 51, 45, 4; lead 58, 37, 5; cadmium 12, 76, 12; mercury 4, 24, 72. The comparison of incinerators M, B and others indicates that the fate of metals during combustion, gas cooling and gas cleaning is determined by the composition of the municipal waste, the properties of the individual metals, and the operating conditions of the incinerator. In order to improve waste incineration, it is necessary to understand better the physical-chemical processes taking place in an incinerator, and to apply this knowledge to the construction and operating of such a plant.