Experimental process for destruction of hazardous wastes using solar energy. Final technical report, Phase I

Technical Report · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6133081· OSTI ID:6133081

Millions of tons of hazardous wastes are produced each year in the United States. Of these wastes, some are recycled or destroyed, while others are stored for subsequent disposal. The stored wastes are a hazard due to their potential for discharge into the environment. For many toxic organic wastes, detoxification using solar energy is a viable means for eliminating the environmental risks. In addition, it offers the potential for being more efficient and cost effective than the currently preferred method of disposal, incineration using fossil fuels. This Phase I program provides an approach to the destruction of hazardous industrial wastes using solar energy. The approach makes use of both the photoreduction energy and thermal aspects of solar energy to destroy highly toxic hazardous wastes. This ultraviolet (uv) light energy is available in addition to the thermal energy in the detoxification process. The Phase I program has established poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) as the candidate material for the detoxification process due to their highly toxic nature and the large quantities which require disposal. The chlorine-carbon bonds that exist is PCBs are susceptible to photolytic reduction from intense solar flux in the uv range. During Phase I, the feasibility of the concept was verified through an extensive literature search on photochemical effects. This search identified that the combined aspects of concentrated solar energy, photoreduction and thermal, could supply the required detoxification. Solar test facilities were also evaluated during this phase. In addition, candidate test materials were determined for a test burn using a photolytic detoxifier concept also established during Phase I.

• Research Organization: Babcock and Wilcox Co., Barberton, OH (USA). Nuclear Equipment Div.
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-83SF11945
• OSTI ID: 6133081
• Report Number(s): DOE/SF/11945-1; ON: DE85006109
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion-- (1980-)
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DETOXIFICATION
EXPERIMENT PLANNING
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MATERIALS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
PLANNING
TEST FACILITIES