Vitrification of asbestos wastes

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:186823

Blary, F; Rollin, M ^[1]

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1. INERTAM, Saint-Denis (France)

In 1990, EDF decided to test the use of the plasma torch in waste destruction processes. These tests facilitated the creation of a mobile industrial plant for the vitrification of asbestos waste. Asbestos is valued for its insulating properties and its resistance to fire, but has the formidable drawback that its inhalation causes serious respiratory diseases (cancer) in man. Nowadays therefore this waste, most often originating from the renovation or demolition of contaminated buildings, has to be disposed of. The process developed by INERTAM is vitrification by plasma torch: i.e. high temperature thermal treatment (T > 1,600 C) which fuses and homogenizes materials. INERTAM thus carries out the total destruction of the asbestos fibers by fusion and achieves a significant reduction in specific volume (80%) of the waste and an inert, stable material (the ``vitrificate`` or fusion residue) able to be re-used in road techniques.

• OSTI ID: 186823
• Report Number(s): CONF-9510125--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
ASBESTOS
DESIGN
FLUE GAS
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
PLASMA FURNACES
PLASMA HEATING
SCRUBBING
VITRIFICATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION