From: Public Services and Procurement Canada
Incineration consists of burning and volatilizing the contaminants to be treated in the presence of oxygen at sufficiently high temperatures ranging from 870 °C to 1,200 °C (1,600 °F to 2,200 °F) to destroy contaminants. Several types of matrices can be treated by incineration, including soils, sludge, liquids and gases. A secondary combustion chamber collects and processes gaseous emissions and other by-products resulting from combustion.
There exist different types of incinerators. Incineration by circulating beds uses high velocity air to contain contaminated materials to be treated and creates a highly turbulent combustion zone that destroys toxic hydrocarbons at temperatures ranging from 780 °C to 870 °C (1,450 °F to 1,600 °F), which is lower than conventional incinerator temperatures. The turbulence produces a uniform temperature in the combustion chamber and a hot cyclone. The system also completely mixes the contaminated material to be treated during combustion. Effective mixing and low combustion temperatures reduce operating costs and potential vapours such as nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.
Incineration by infrared combustion uses electrical resistance heating elements or indirect fired radiant U-tubes to heat contaminated material to be treated passing through an incinerator chamber on a conveyor belt. The operational temperatures are up to 870 °C (1,600 °F). A blower delivers air to selected locations along the belt to control the oxidation rate of the contaminated material. Any remaining combustible are incinerated in an afterburner at the end of the conveyor.
Rotary kiln incinerators are used to treat solids, liquids, sludge and debris. The rotation of the combustion chamber, consisting of a slightly inclined cylinder, allows the complete mixing of its contents during the treatment. A secondary combustion chamber allows high temperature gas treatment (1,700 °F to 2,000 °F).
Sources:
An incinerator, including the primary and secondary burning units as well as the effluent gas treatment system, may be constructed temporarily directly on-site, or the contaminated materials may be transported to the fixed incinerator.
The implementation of an incineration treatment may include:
The installation of a temporary incinerator is subject to compliance with certain laws and regulations that may require obtaining permits or authorization.
Notes:
Given the amount of energy required for incineration and maintenance of high temperatures, incineration in northern environments can be a costly treatment method. Similarly, this type of installation requires rigorous monitoring that could be limited in this type of environment that is often isolated.
The materials to be treated must first be recovered (excavated or pumped). For example, a site where incineration is planned should normally meet the applicable criteria and not require long-term monitoring.
If an incinerator is to be built on the site, it will be dismantled when all the materials have been treated.
The following sites provide application examples:
Incineration, primarily off-site, has been selected or used as the treatment method at more than 150 Superfund sites in the United States. In Canada, incineration is subject to a series of technology-specific regulations.
The destruction and removal efficiency of properly operated incinerators exceed the 99.9% requirement for hazardous waste, which corresponds to the treatment objectives for polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins and furans.
Main Exposure Mechanisms
Applies or Does Not Apply
Monitoring and Mitigation
Dust
Applies
Monitoring conditions favourable to dispersion during the excavation of the materials to be treated.
Atmospheric/Steam Emissions—Point Sources or Chimneys
Emissions monitoring (choice of parameters, types of samples and type of intervention [source, risk or local requirements])
Atmospheric/Steam Emissions—Non-point Sources
Does not apply
N/A
Air/steam—by products
Runoff
Groundwater—displacement
Modelling the effects of required pumping and monitoring using pressure sensors
Groundwater—chemical/ geochemical mobilization chimique/géochimique
Groundwater—by-product
Accident/Failure—damage to public services
File checks and licensing prior to excavation, development of excavation and emergency procedures
Accident/Failure—leak or spill
Risk review, development of accident and emergency response plans, monitoring and inspection of unsafe conditions
Accident/Failure—fire/explosion
Other—Handling contaminated soils or other Solids
Other
Composed by : Josée Thibodeau, M.Sc, National Research Council
Updated by : Martin Désilets, B.Sc., National Research Council
Updated Date : June 8, 2016
Latest update provided by : Nathalie Arel, P.Eng., M.Sc., Christian Gosselin, P.Eng., M.Eng. and Sylvain Hains, P.Eng., M.Sc., Golder Associés Ltée
Updated Date : March 22, 2019
