US EPA

2203132 

Technical Report 

Thermal Plasma Waste Remediation Technology: Historical Perspective and Current Trends 

Counts, DA; Sartwell, BD; Peterson, SH; Kirkland, R; Kolak, NP 

1999 

NTIS/03010067 

GRA and I 

GRA and I 

The idea of utilizing thermal plasma technology for waste processing goes back to the mid-1970's during the energy crisis. Since then, more interest has been shown by universities, industry, and government in developing thermal plasma waste processing technology for hazardous and non-hazardous waste treatment. Much of the development has occurred outside of the United States, most significantly in Japan and France, while the market growth for thermal plasma waste treatment technology has remained slow in the United States. Despite the slow expansion of the marked in the United States, since the early 1990's there has been an increase in interest in utilizing thermal plasma technology for environmental remediation and treatment in lieu of the more historical methods of incineration and landfilling. Currently within the Department of Defense there are several demonstration projects underway, and details of some of these projects are provided. Prior to these efforts by the U. S. Government, the State of New York had investigated the use of thermal plasma technology for treating PCB contaminated solvent wastes from the Love Canal cleanup. As interest continues to expand in the application of thermal plasma technology for waste treatment and remediation, more and more personnel are becoming involved with treatment, regulation, monitoring, and commercial operations and many have little understanding of this emerging technology. To address these needs, this report will describe: (1) characteristics of plasmas; (2) methods for generating sustained thermal plasmas; (3) types of thermal plasma sources for waste processing; (4) the development of thermal plasma waste treatment systems; and (5) Department of Defense plasma arc waste treatment demonstration projects.