(Oxidation and Vitrification Process)
Vortec Corporation (Vortec) has developed an oxidation and vitrification process for remediating soils, sediments, sludges, and mill tailings contaminated with organics, inorganics, and heavy metals. The process can oxidize and vitrify materials introduced as dry granulated materials or slurries.
The figure below illustrates the Vortec oxidation and vitrification process. Its basic elements include (1) a cyclone melting system (CMS™); (2) a material handling, storage, and feeding subsystem; (3) a vitrified product separation and reservoir assembly; (4) a waste heat recovery air preheater (recuperator); (5) an air pollution control subsystem; and (6) a vitrified product handling subsystem.
The Vortec CMS™ is the primary thermal processing system and consists of two major assemblies: a counterrotating vortex (CRV) in-flight suspension preheater and a cyclone melter. First, slurried or dry-contaminated soil is introduced into the CRV. The CRV (1) uses the auxiliary fuel introduced directly into the CRV; (2) preheats the suspended waste materials along with any glass-forming additives mixed with oil; and (3) oxidizes any organic constituents in the soil. The average temperature of materials leaving the CRV combustion chamber is between 2,200 and 2,800 F, depending on the melting characteristics of the processed soils.
The preheated solid materials exit the CRV and enter the cyclone melter, where they are dispersed to the chamber walls to form a molten glass product. The vitrified, molten glass product and the exhaust gases exit the cyclone melter through a tangential exit channel and enter a glass- and gas-separation chamber.
The exhaust gases then enter an air preheater for waste heat recovery and are subsequently delivered to the air pollution control subsystem for particulate and acid gas removal. The molten glass product exits the glass- and gas-separation chamber through the tap and is delivered to a water quench assembly for subsequent disposal.
Unique features of the Vortec oxidation and vitrification process include
the following:
The Vortec oxidation and vitrification process treats soils, sediments, sludges, and mill tailings containing organic, inorganic, and heavy metal contamination. Organic materials included with the waste are successfully oxidized by the high temperatures in the CRV. The inorganic constituents in the waste material determine the amount and type of glass-forming additives required to produce a vitrified product. This process can be modified to produce a glass cullet that consistently meets TCLP requirements.
The Vortec oxidation and vitrification process was accepted into the SITE Emerging Technology Program in May 1991. Research under the Emerging Technology Program was completed in winter 1994, and Vortec was invited to participate in the SITE Demonstration Program.
Construction of a 25-ton-per-day, transportable system for treating contaminated soil at a Department of Energy site in Paducah, Kentucky was initiated in October 1996. The demonstration is scheduled to begin in 1997.
A 50-ton-per-day system has been purchased by Ormet Aluminum Corporation of Wheeling, West Virginia for recycling aluminum spent pot liners, a cyanide- and fluoride-containing waste (K088). The recycling system became operational in 1996.
Vortec is offering commercial systems and licenses for the CMS™ system.
EPA PROJECT MANAGER:
Teri Richardson
U.S. EPA
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268
513-569-7949
Fax: 513-569-7105
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPER CONTACT:
James Hnat
Vortec Corporation
3770 Ridge Pike
Collegeville, PA 19426-3158
610-489-2255
Fax: 610-489-3185