Incineration
From Swikipedia
Introduction
Incineration is a waste treatment technology that involves the combustion of organic materials and/or substances and is a method of disposing off waste through thermal treatment. Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into incinerator bottom ash, flue gases, particulates, and heat, which can in turn be used to generate electric power. The flue gases are cleaned of pollutants before they are dispersed in the atmosphere.
Brief Description
Incineration can be implemented with energy and materials recovery also. Incinerators reduce the mass of the original waste by 80–85 % and the volume (already compressed somewhat in garbage trucks) by 95-96 %, depending upon composition and degree of recovery of materials such as metals from the ash for recycling. This means that while incineration does not completely replace landfilling, it reduces the necessary volume for disposal significantly. Garbage trucks often reduce the volume of waste in a built-in compressor before delivery to the incinerator. Alternatively, at landfills, the volume of the uncompressed garbage can be reduced by approximately 70% with the use of a stationary steel compressor, albeit with a significant energy cost.
Incineration is particularly beneficial for the treatment of certain waste types in niche areas such as clinical wastes and certain hazardous wastes where pathogens and toxins can be destroyed by high temperatures. Examples include chemical multi-product plants with diverse toxic or very toxic wastewater streams, which cannot be routed to a conventional wastewater treatment plant.
Advantages:
- Requires minimum land
- Can be operated in any weather
- Produces stable odor-free residue
- Refuse volume is reduced by half
Disadvantages:
- Expensive to build and operate
- High energy requirement
- Requires skilled personnel and continuous maintenance
References:
