This report presents cost and performance data for the application of on-site incineration at the Celanese Corporation Shelby Fiber Operations (Celanese) Superfund site in Shelby, North Carolina. A rotary kiln incinerator was operated from April 1991 through December 1991 as part of a remedial action. Contaminants of concern at the site were trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, phenols, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lead, chromium, ethylene glycol, and antimony.
The Celanese site is a polyester raw-material production facility that began operation in April 1960. Between 1960 and the early 1980s, various wastes were stored and disposed of on-site in unlined pits and trenches. In March 1988, a Record of Decision (ROD) for Operable Unit 1 (OU-1) was signed that required treatment of contaminated groundwater.
In March 1989, a ROD for OU-2 was signed. The remedial actions for OU-2 included the excavation and incineration of Glycol Recovery Unit (GRU) sludges and associated soil; and the excavation, solidification, and disposal of plastic chips, burn pit residuals, and stream sediments. The remainder of this report will address the incineration specified in OU-2, unless otherwise stated.
The ROD specified the excavation and incineration of approximately 1,500 cubic yards of GRU sludge plus an additional foot of soil below the sludge/soil interface. The ROD also specified incinerator requirements that included a destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of 99.99% for each constituent of concern.
The selected incineration system consisted of a feed system; a rotary kiln; a secondary combustion chamber (SCC) and an air pollution control system (APCS) [2].
Before entering the feed system, waste sludge and soil were mixed with sawdust to facilitate materials handling. The mixture passed through a separator to remove any pieces of metal, then was conveyed to a weigh hopper, and finally to the kiln.
The kiln used at the Celanese site was lined with refractory brick. The rotary kiln volatilized and partially destroyed organic compounds from the contaminated material. Ash generated in the incinerator was collected in a wet ash collection system and conveyed out of the system for solidification and disposal, while exhaust gases were drawn into the SCC. The SCC provided further combustion of organics in the off-gases which were then quenched with water.
The APCS consisted of a baghouse and a packed-bed scrubber. Particulate removal occurred in the baghouse, and gas polishing and acid neutralization occurred in the scrubber.
During the nine months of operation, the incinerator processed 4,660 tons of GRU sludge and associated soil [2]. During excavation, several drums containing a tar-like substance were found. The drum contents also were incinerated. Treatment performance and emissions data collected during this application indicated that all performance standards and emissions requirements were met.
The actual cost for remediation using the incineration system was approximately $5,800,000, consisting of $3,925,000 in capital costs and $1,875,000 in operation and maintenance costs.
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