Vitrification

Typical municipal solid waste contains about 20-25% ash by weight and must be disposed of in an approved landfill. If ash disposal poses a problem, EnerWaste can supply a Vitrification system to convert the ash into a valuable obsidian-like glass by-product that can have many potential commercial applications such as sandblast grit, roofing shingle granules, roofing and floor tiles, and road base aggregate. Depending on your tipping rates, the costs of ash disposal alone may be able to justify the installation of a vitrification system.

Vitrification is a simple process that is very similar to the century-old process of making glass. The vitrification system consists of carbon electrodes inserted in a molten bath of glass contained in a refractory lined vessel. Hot ash from the oxidation system is added to the molten bath and is transformed into glass. During the vitrification process, the ash volume is decreased to 1/4 its original volume when it is converted to glass. Energy consumption is minimized by the fact that the ash is already hot from the combustion process. The electrical energy to operate the electrodes and melt the ash can come from the on-site cogeneration plant.

Vitrification produces an obsidian-like glass solid that is highly resistant to corrosion, erosion, and is impervious to penetration by plants and animals. Because of these desirable resistant physical properties, vitrification can be used to effectively dispose of hazardous chemicals and low level radioactive wastes. The hazardous waste virtually becomes locked in the glass where it is immobilized from the environment. Vitrification can be used to treat a variety of hazardous waste products including heavy metals and contaminated soils. Once transformed into glass, the waste may be delisted as hazardous and used as construction aggregate or safely disposed of in a landfill.