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1. What
is an incinerator? |
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2. What
can an incinerator do for me? |
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3. Why
is incineration a preferred method? |
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4. How
do I know what kind of incinerator to
select? |
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5. There
are so many different incinerator designs
available in the market. How do I know
which to select? |
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6. How
do I choose where to locate my
incinerator? |
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7. Will
installing an incinerator solve all my
waste disposal problems? |
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8. Why
do some people oppose incinerators? |
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9. Why
I do need a waste management plan? |
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10. (For
healthcare institutes only) How can I
check the status of waste management in
my Institute? |
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1.
What is an incinerator? |
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Old »
The process of burning, setting fire to
or destroying.
New » An Engineered process
using controlled flame combustion to
thermally degrade waste materials.
Incinerators of today
are designed to efficiently and safely
burn wastes at specified rates and
temperatures with the residual ash
containing little or no combustible
material.
An incinerator must
have the following design features: |
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Mixing of air
and fuel should be in the correct
proportion.
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The 3Ts of
incineration must be achieved -
high retention Time for complete
combustion, provision for creation
of Turbulence in the combustion
chamber and appropriate
Temperatures.
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Should be easy
to install and simple to operate
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Satisfy all
environmental regulations.
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2.
What can an incinerator do for me? |
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An incinerator can
help you dispose biomedical, hazardous,
animal, vegetable and other types of
waste materials. It is one of the most
preferred methods of waste disposal in
the world today. |
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3.
Why is incineration a preferred method? |
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In many locations
throughout the world, waste is simply
dumped on unused ground where it is left
to decompose over time. The decomposing
waste provides a breeding ground for
vermin and bugs and any human or animal
could become seriously ill after coming
in contact with decomposing waste.
Land-fill sites are also problematic as
they are difficult to maintain and need
to be specially designed facilities
having closely controlled access and
operational practices. Shortage of land
and underground pollution are also major
issues. Risks may also be greater from
composting because human exposure to
toxic substances are greater through food
chain pathways than through inhalation
pathways. |
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4.
How do I know what kind of incinerator to
select? |
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Incinerator selection
can be done based on the following: |
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Type and
quantity of waste being generated
per day.
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Duration that
machine will be operated in a day.
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Fuel that is to
be used.
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Whether any
special loading or de-ashing
systems are required.
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Whether any
space restrictions exist.
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Any other
specific requirements such as mode
of operation, electric supply etc.
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5.
There are so many different incinerator
designs available in the market. How do I
know which to select? |
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Many fly-by-night
companies, in order to make a quick buck,
produce metal shells, which do not meet
temperature or residence time
requirements. Other manufacturers who
make electric incinerators fail to
mention the high maintenance and running
costs of these systems and also their
inability to meet temperature
requirements. Selection of an incinerator
design and company must be made based on
past experience, service back-up and
availability of spares and quality
control measures adopted during
production.
COMPARISON BETWEEN
OIL FIRED AND ELECTRICAL INCINERATORS |
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Sl. No. |
OIL-FIRED
INCINERATOR |
STANDARD
ELECTRICAL INCINERATOR |
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1. |
Internal
combustion temperature is of the
order of 850°C - 1100°C |
The
temperature is not expected to
rise beyond 600°C. |
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2. |
Provided with
two / three chambers |
Provided with
one chamber. |
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3. |
Annual
running cost for a model of
capacity 20 kg/hr
Fuel consumption = 8 ltr / hr
Duration of
use = 6 hrs
Fuel
consumption per day = 48 ltr
Daily cost =
48 x Rs. 25.15 = Rs. 1207.20
Annual cost =
1207.20 x 365 = Rs. 4,40,628 |
Annual
running cost for an electrical
incinerator
Power consumption (at 90%
efficiency) = 83.33 units / hr
Duration of
use = 6 hrs
Electricity
consumed per day = 500 units
Daily cost =
500 x Rs. 5.50 = Rs. 2750
Annual cost =
Rs. 2750 x 365 = Rs. 10,03,750 |
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ANNUAL
SAVINGS USING AN OIL-FIRED
INCINERATOR = Rs. 5,63,122 |
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4. |
Very few
replacements required
(maintenance free) |
Heating
elements need to be replaced
frequently at prices ranging
from Rs.30,000 to 80,000
depending on the wattage. |
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5. |
Special
castable refractory having high
strength at high temperature
against heat oxidation and
chemical attack. |
Refractory
bricks are used which are prone
to failure due to build up of
stress concentration between
edges. |
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6. |
Simple to
operate |
Skilled
personnel required to operate. |
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7. |
Very little
electric power consumed. |
Large
consumption of electricity,
which is scarce. |
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8. |
Large furnace
volume for extended dwell time |
Small furnace
volume. |
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9. |
Non-Polluting |
Known to
cause pollution. |
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6.
How do I choose where to locate my
incinerator? |
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Siting in the
open is recommended upon level
concrete, not close to tall
buildings and in an area free from
air turbulence. If positioning is
within a building, appropriate flue
arrangements must be provided and
adequate ventilation is essential.
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Ensure adequate
space around the incinerator for
operation and maintenance of unit.
(This is particularly important if
unit is housed inside a building.)
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Do not stand
flammable materials or liquids
close to incinerators.
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Always allow a
minimum of two metres clear all
round the incinerator.
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Concrete hard
standing bases must be able to take
the weight of the incinerator. They
should also be able to withstand
the temperature put out by the
unit.
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Always ensure
sufficient room is available to ash
out the unit.
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If sited inside
a building, adequate air must be
available to ensure the combustion
process can take place and
sufficient ventilation is allowed
for.
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The proposed
site should, if possible, be such
as to allow for the efficient cost
effective operation of the unit.
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7.
Will installing an incinerator solve all
my waste disposal problems? |
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The answer to this is
a very simple 'NO'. The incinerator can
only be part of a comprehensive waste
management system of which it is a large
component. It can be used for most waste
types barring a few exceptions. A plan to
reduce, reuse and recycle will go a long
way in solving all disposal problems. |
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8.
Why do some people oppose incinerators? |
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Incinerators need to
have certain design features and need to
be used correctly. Indiscriminate use of
inadequately designed systems (by
overloading, loading non-incinerable
wastes, etc.) and pollution generated by
these caused some sectors to label all
incinerators as inefficient. However,
technologies are available today which
have made waste incinerators a clean and
environmentally sound form of waste
management, so that such opposition is
now unfounded. All methods like
recycling, composting, land-filling and
incineration have similar environmental
impacts. Comparison of impacts is
difficult because alternative systems
generate different pollutants having
various toxicities, effects, reasons and
modes and affect different populations
and eco-systems. It is not possible, for
example, to qualitatively determine
whether recycling produces more or less
pollutants or produces greater or fewer
risks per ton of material processed than
do incineration or land filling. |
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9.
Why I do need a waste management plan? |
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A waste management
plan will determine which initiatives
will be the most beneficial. The three
main steps are information gathering,
waste stream analysis and development of
action plans. Information must be
collected on the volume of each type of
waste in each specific area and current
costs associated with disposal must be
determined. Waste management initiatives
like reduction, recycling, reuse and
recovery will enable treatment of only
waste types that need to be treated. |
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10.
(For healthcare institutes only) How can
I check the status of waste management in
my Institute? |
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Please download the
checklist by clicking on this link »
checklist
(File Size: 76.5 KB). |
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