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At least 37 records · Page 2

Reactive Carbon from Life Support Wastes for Incinerator Flue Gas Cleanup

This paper presents the results from a joint research initiative between NASA Ames Research Center and Lawrence Berkeley National lab. The objective of the research is to produce activated carbon from life support wastes and to use the activated carbon to adsorb and chemically reduce the NO(sub x) and SO(sub 2) contained in incinerator flue gas. Inedible biomass waste from food production is the primary waste considered for conversion to activated carbon. Results to date show adsorption of both NO(sub x) and SO(sub 2) in activated carbon made from biomass. Conversion of adsorbed NO(sub x) to nitrogen has also been observed.

Fisher, J. W.↗

System for Removing Pollutants from Incinerator Exhaust

A system for removing pollutants -- primarily sulfur dioxide and mixed oxides of nitrogen (NOx) -- from incinerator exhaust has been demonstrated. The system is also designed secondarily to remove particles, hydrocarbons, and CO. The system is intended for use in an enclosed environment, for which a prior NOx-and-SO2-removal system designed for industrial settings would not be suitable.

Wickham, David t.↗

Multi-Spectral Lidar Observations and Balloon Borne Validation of SO 2 -O 3 During the SOWLETS Campaign: An Examination of Local Incinerator Plume

The Langley Mobile O3 Lidar (LMOL) was stationed at NASA's Langley Research Center for the initiation of the SO 2 -O 3 Water Land Environment study (SOWLETS). The primary focus of the campaign was to examine the capabilities of a novel four-wavelength detection technique to measure the concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3). The exact location of the lidar, near the NASA/CAPABLE site, was optimized to intercept the plume emissions from a proximate incinerator facility using historical weather data for the month of the campaign. A novel four-wavelength lidar technique focused on the detection of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3) was employed, and its capabilities were thoroughly examined. The technique is built upon the standard DIAL. While 3 wavelengths would be enough to retrieve both SO2 and O3, the 4 wavelengths allow to provide data on aerosol backscattering. In parallel, SO 2 -O 3 sondes were launched and installed in the nearby NASA Landing and Impact research facility, providing validation for the lidar's atmospheric measurements. In conclusion, this campaign offers an improved understanding of SO2 emissions in the local environment and a validation of a novel technique to facilitate pollution observations. It shows the promise of this new kind of lidar to better understand and validate the observations by NASA/TEMPO ("Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution").

G. Gronoff↗

Vitrification of Inactive Incineration Ash in a Full Industrial Scale In Can Melter - 20502

In the framework of the H2020 THERAMIN project funded by the European Commission, CEA performed a pilot-scale trial consisting of the vitrification of inactive ash (Al, Ca, Si, Zn, Bi, K, Mg, etc.) using the In- Can Melter technology. These ashes were coming from incineration of simulated technological wastes such as cotton, latex, neoprene, polyethylene. The borosilicate glass feasibility was first evaluated at a laboratory scale (10-100 g of glass). The volatile behavior of fly ash was controlled by pelletizing to avoid pipes clogging when performing the pilot scale test. A 10 wt.% inorganic binder was added to obtain cohesive pellets. The glass frit composition was selected and its ratio was fixed at 50 wt.%. After this step, a bench test (1 kg of glass) was done to verify the absence of container corrosion. Finally, it was followed by a pilot scale test (50 kg of glass) with 75,000 ash pellets used. The same glass microstructure and chemical composition were observed at each scale. Typical crystals of apatites (Ca, P), zincochromites (Zn, Cr, Al) and bismuth alloys (Bi, Sb) dispersed into a borosilicate glass matrix were observed. The chemical durability of the wasteform was measured during 28 days in a 90 deg. C water. Although there were durable crystalline phases, the hydrolysis rate of the vitreous part is relatively high because of the B and Na contents. However, leach rate profiles suggest that an alteration layer will form, leading to an alteration rate decrease. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Electrochemical incineration of wastes

The novel technology of waste removal in space vehicles by electrochemical methods is presented to convert wastes into chemicals that can be eventually recycled. The important consideration for waste oxidation is to select a right kind of electrode (anode) material that should be stable under anodic conditions and also a poor electrocatalyst for oxygen and chlorine evolution. On the basis of long term electrolysis experiments on seven different electrodes and on the basis of total organic carbon reduced, two best electrodes were identified. The effect of redox ions on the electrolyte was studied. Though most of the experiments were done in mixtures of urine and waste, the experiments with redox couples involved 2.5 M sulfuric acid in order to avoid the precipitation of redox ions by urea. Two methods for long term electrolysis of waste were investigated: (1) the oxidation on Pt and lead dioxide electrodes using the galvanostatic methods; and (2) potentiostatic method on other electrodes. The advantage of the first method is the faster rate of oxidation. The chlorine evolution in the second method is ten times less then in the first. The accomplished research has shown that urine/feces mixtures can be oxidized to carbon dioxide and water, but current densities are low and must be improved. The perovskite and Ti4O7 coated with RuO2 are the best electrode materials found. Recent experiment with the redox agent improves the current density, however, sulphuric acid is required to keep the redox agent in solution to enhance oxidation effectively. It is desirable to reduce the use of acid and/or find substitutes.

Bhardwaj, R. C.↗

Electrochemical incineration of wastes

A low temperature electrolysis process has been developed for the treatment of solid waste material and urine. Experiments are described in which organic materials are oxidized directly at the surface of an electrode. Also, hypochlorite is generated electrochemically from chloride component of urine. Hypochlorite can act as a strong oxidizing agent in solution. The oxidation takes place at 30-60 C and the gaseous products from the anodic reaction are carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen. Hydrogen is formed at the cathode. Carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides and methane were not detected in the off gases. Chlorine was evolved at the anode in relatively low amounts.

Kaba, L.↗

Electrochemical incineration of wastes

The disposal of domestic organic waste in its raw state is a matter of increasing public concern. Earlier, it was regarded as permissible to reject wastes into the apparently infinite sink of the sea but, during the last 20 years, it has become clear that this is environmentally unacceptable. On the other hand, sewage farms and drainage systems for cities and for new housing developments are cumbersome and expensive to build and operate. New technology whereby waste is converted to acceptable chemicals and pollution-free gases at site is desirable. The problems posed by wastes are particularly demanding in space vehicles where it is desirable to utilize treatments that will convert wastes into chemicals that can be recycled. In this situation, the combustion of waste is undesirable due to the inevitable presence of oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxide in the effluent gases. Here, in particular, electrochemical techniques offer several advantages including the low temperatures which may be used and the absence of any NO and CO in the evolved gases. Work done in this area was restricted to technological papers, and the present report is an attempt to give a more fundamental basis to the early stages of a potentially valuable technology.

Kaba, L.↗

Regenerable Incinerator Exhaust Purification and Trace Contaminant Control System

In this novel approach to air purification, contaminants removed from a process air stream by a high-capacity adsorbent are displaced periodically by a warm, high-humidity, reverse-flow air stream. Displaced contaminants flow into a closed regeneration loop, in which organic compounds are oxidized catalytically and acid gases are removed by a gas- water contactor (which also serves as the source of the water vapor). These features are expected to result in a design that has few expendables and lower energy consumption than alternative regenerable techniques. The joint project between NASA Ames Research Center and Vanderbilt University has completed its third year. Breadboard development continues at NASA Ames, while Vanderbilt has completed most of its adsorption equilibria development. Vanderbilt has completed its fixed-bed apparatus for investigation of dynamic adsorption and desorption processes for trace organic compounds and water vapor, and is continuing its development of the mathematical model describing the column dynamics.

Finn, John E.↗

Modeling Separate and Combined Atmospheres in BIO-Plex

We modeled BIO-Plex designs with separate or combined atmospheres and then simulated controlling the atmosphere composition. The BIO-Plex is the Bioregenerative Planetary Life Support Systems Test Complex, a large regenerative life support test facility under development at NASA Johnson Space Center. Although plants grow better at above-normal carbon dioxide levels, humans can tolerate even higher carbon dioxide levels. Incinerator exhaust has very high levels of carbon dioxide. An elaborate BIO-Plex design would maintain different atmospheres in the crew and plant chambers and isolate the incinerator exhaust in the airlock. This design easily controls the crew and plant carbon dioxide levels but it uses many gas processors, buffers, and controllers. If all the crew's food is grown inside BIO-Plex, all the carbon dioxide required by the plants is supplied by crew respiration and the incineration of plant and food waste. Because the oxygen mass flow must balance in a closed loop, the plants supply all the oxygen required by the crew and the incinerator. Using plants for air revitalization allows using fewer gas processors, buffers, and controllers. In the simplest design, a single combined atmosphere was used for the crew, the plant chamber, and the incinerator. All gas processors, buffers, and controllers were eliminated. The carbon dioxide levels were necessarily similar for the crew and plants. If most of the food is grown, carbon dioxide can be controlled at the desired level by scheduling incineration. An intermediate design uses one atmosphere for the crew and incinerator chambers and a second for the plant chamber. This allows different carbon dioxide levels for the crew and plants. Better control of the atmosphere is obtained by varying the incineration rate. Less gas processing storage and control is needed if more food is grown.

Jones, Harry↗

Modeling Separate and Combined Atmospheres in BIO-Plex

We modeled BIO-Plex designs with separate or combined atmospheres and then simulated controlling the atmosphere composition. The BIO-Plex is the Bioregenerative Planetary Life Support Systems Test Complex, a large regenerative life support test facility under development at NASA Johnson Space Center. Although plants grow better at above-normal carbon dioxide levels, humans can tolerate even higher carbon dioxide levels. incinerator exhaust has very high levels of carbon dioxide. An elaborate BIO-Plex design would maintain different atmospheres in the crew and plant chambers and isolate the incinerator exhaust in the airlock. This design easily controls the crew and plant carbon dioxide levels but it uses many gas processors, buffers, and controllers. If all the crew's food is grown inside BIO-Plex, all the carbon dioxide required by the plants is supplied by crew respiration and the incineration of plant and food waste. Because the oxygen mass flow must balance in a closed loop, the plants supply all the oxygen required by the crew and the incinerator. Using plants for air revitalization allows using fewer gas processors, buffers, and controllers. In the simplest design, a single combined atmosphere was used for the crew, the plant chamber, and the incinerator. All gas processors, buffers, and controllers were eliminated. The carbon dioxide levels were necessarily similar for the crew and plants. If most of the food is grown, carbon dioxide can be controlled at the desired level by scheduling incineration. An intermediate design uses one atmosphere for the crew and incinerator chambers and a second for the plant chamber. This allows different carbon dioxide levels for the crew and plants. Better control of the atmosphere is obtained by varying the incineration rate. Less gas processing, storage, and control is needed if more food is grown.

Jones, Harry↗