THE COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS OF SELECTED CHLORINATED METHANES IN A FLAT FLAME ENVIRONMENT

Incineration in a properly designed and operated facility has been recommended as a preferred control technology for combustible organic hazardous wastes. In principle, a completely efficient incinerator converts organic hazardous material via high temperature thermal oxidation to carbon dioxide, water and low volume inert ash material. During the incineration of halogenated hazardous waste streams, significant quantities of halogen acids are also formed. In order to optimally design incinerators and to ensure that incinerators perform according to current United States Environmental Protection Agency regulations, it is critical to better understand the thermal destruction behavior of organic hazardous wastes. This paper reports initial results, principally empirical in nature, concerning a kinetically based study into the combustion of selected chlorinated methanes. A complete description of the experimental facility, operational procedures and operational experiences is provided. Results obtained with a flat flame burner firing premixed CH 3 CI/air. CH 2 Cl 2 /CH 4 /air and CCl 4 /CH 4 /air are provided. These results include: product distribution profiles in the form of percentage of fuel carbon converted to various species, temperature profiles, probable identification of Products of Incomplete Combustion (PICs)based on stable intermediate products, and a discussion of two-stage combustion phenomena.