Project Synopsis
Detailed technical and economic alternatives evaluation to help select processing technology for treating inorganic solid mixed wastes at a commercial waste treatment facility.
Project Summary
INORGANIC SOLID WASTE TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES EVALUATION
The client contracted Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) to execute a detailed technical and economic alternatives evaluation for the purpose of selecting processing technology for treating inorganic solid mixed wastes at the client’s commercial waste treatment facility. The following project tasks were completed:
- Alternatives evaluation design basis development
- Alternatives technical screening
- Screened alternatives technical evaluation
- Screened alternatives economic evaluation
- Screened alternatives project implementation schedules preparation.
Design basis development involved physical and chemical characterizations of the anticipated waste profile as well as definition of overall system performance goals and requirements. During technical screening, PROCESS identified process alternatives that were potentially feasible for the inorganic solids treatment application and technically-screened alternatives for detailed technical and economic evaluation. The technically-screened alternatives included:
- Rotary furnace system
- Molten glass reactor system
- Catalytic extraction process
- Plasma arc centrifugal treatment (PACT) reactor system
- Waste solidification system.
During the technical evaluation, the alternatives were assigned scores for technical parameters deemed important for the application. The economic evaluation involved soliciting vendor cost quotations and developing capital cost estimates based on the quoted purchase costs. Operating costs were prepared for the alternatives based on client site-specific costs categories for labor, utilities, etc. Alternative annual (capital installment plus operating) costs were prepared from the capital and operating costs. Finally, project implementation schedules that included time lines for engineering, procurement, permitting, installation, and startup were prepared for the alternatives for the purpose of projecting system on-stream dates.
Based on technical, economic, and schedule considerations, the molten glass reactor system was recommended to the client for the inorganic solid waste treatment application.
Industry Type
- Waste Treatment
Utilized Skills
- Front end engineering design (FEED)
- Thermal treatment alternatives evaluation
- Project schedule development