Minimum feeding rate of activated carbon to control dioxin emissions from a large-scale municipal solid waste incinerator

Abstract

To obtain a minimum feeding rate ( F min) of activated carbon (AC), a series of measurements on dioxin emission concentration were carried out in a large-scale municipal solid waste incinerator. It was found that dioxin removal efficiency ( η) increased with an increase in AC feeding concentration. This had an almost linear function to F/ Q when F/ Q was less than 65 mg/Nm 3, where F was the AC feeding rate (mg/min), and Q was the volumetric flow rate of flue gas (Nm 3/min). However, it did not seem to be affected by F/ Q, when F/ Q was larger than 150 mg/Nm 3. On the basis of the experimental data obtained in this study, the removal efficiency of dioxins by the application of AC could be correlated as η (%) = 100/[1.0 + (40.2/( F/ Q) 3)]. It is valid in appropriate conditions ( F/ Q = 10–300 mg/Nm 3) suggested by the study with a statistical error of ±18%. The correlation would be applied to estimate the dioxin removal efficiency ( η) using the F/ Q value. For engineering applications, the ( F/ Q) min could be solved using a graphic illustration method, by which the minimum feeding rate ( F) was obtained if the flue gas volumetric flow rate ( Q) was known.