PCBs 함유 변압기 절연유의 화학적처리

Abstract

Practical disposal of transformer insulation oil laden with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) by a chemical treatment has been studied in field work. The transformer insulation oil containing PCBs was treated by the required amounts of PEG (polyethylene glycol) and KOH, along with different reaction conditions such as temperatures and times. The reaction of PEG with PCBs under basic condition produces arylpolyglycols, the products of nucleophilic aromatic substitution. Removal efficiencies of PCBs in insulation oil before and after chemical treatment were examined. The removal efficiency of PCBs was very low at lower temperatures of 25 and <TEX>$50^{\circ}C$</TEX>. Under the reaction condition of PEG 600/KOH/<TEX>$100^{\circ}C$</TEX>/2hr, removal efficiency of PCBs was approximately 70%, showing completely removal of PCBs containing 7~9 chlorines on biphenyl frame which appear later than PCB IUPAC Number 183 (2,2',3,4,4',5',6-heptaCB) in retention time of GC/ECD. However, when increasing the reaction temperature and time to <TEX>$150^{\circ}C$</TEX> and 4 hours, removal efficiency of PCBs reached 99.99% without any formation of PCDDS/PCDFs during the process. Such reaction conditions were verified by several official analytical institutions. In studying the reaction of PEG with PCBs, it confirmed that the process of chemical treatment led to less chlorinated PCBs through a stepwise process with the successive elimination of chlorines.