Pre-Dehalogenation of Chlorine-Containing Medical Waste

Abstract

The results of the study of the destruction of a model mixture of medical waste (MW) of typical composition and their components in the range of pyrolysis temperature of 400–650 °C are presented. It is shown that during the initial stage of waste heating by the time the temperature reaches 350 °C, 86–88 % of chlorine in the form of hydrogen chloride (HCl) passes into the gas phase. Considered developed and protected by the patent of the Russian Federation scheme of organization of thermal utilization of MW by two-stage pyrolysis with the removal of HCl from the gas stream at the first stage of the process with its subsequent neutralization with an alkaline solution, which significantly reduces the possibility of the formation of dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) in the second stage of pyrolysis, gaseous products in the form of a concentrated gas-vapor mixture are burned at a temperature of 1000–1350 °C, which ensures fire destruction of all the organic components of pyrolysis and environmental safety of exhaust flue gases.