The effective thermal treatment of solid waste materials requires an understanding of the physical and chemical phenomena which interact in a variety of combustion environments. The objective of this research program is to define the rate controlling steps and the heat and mass transfer limitations to advanced incineration designs and to increased efficiency for existing systems. The desorption of naphthalene and pyrene for soils will be studied in particle and bed characterization reactors, and in a rotary kiln simulator. A circulating fluidized bed combustor will be constructed to complement the reactor studies. The relation between the operating temperature, gas environment, and the fate of metals in incinerators will be investigated using GC/MS, ICP, and ESCA analytical techniques. Computer simulation of the various reactors will compliment the experimental work. The problem of organic and inorganic hazardous waste disposal has become critical to the public and to the industrial organizations responsible for their management. A systematic study of various aspects of hazards elimination through combustion processes is essential to the development of a safe technology for waste treatment.
