Incinerability of Hazardous Wastes

Abstract

ABSTRACT A method for ranking the "incinerability" of principal organic hazardous constituents (POHCs) of a waste stream is of considerable practical use to those concerned with thermal disposal of hazardous materials. In this article, the technical aspects behind six previously proposed methods are examined and related to combustion processes occurring during full-scale thermal disposal. A simple two-zone incineration model has been developed that appears to demonstrate correctly the relevance of various parameters to incinerability. Thermal or post-flame decomposition of POHCs is shown to determine the relative incinerability (ranking) of listed, hazardous organic compounds. Furthermore, oxygen-starved portions of the post-flame region may be responsible for the majority of emissions of both POHCs and potentially toxic reaction products.