REVIEW ON PLASMA ARC TECHNOLOGY IN WASTE

MANAGEMENT

Elba Helen George1, Lathi Karthi2

ABSTRACT: Conventional waste treatment methods certainly do not solve problems, because the harmful
residues such as ash, dust, gases left behind can not be filtered off even with the usage of innovative
technologies. The solution is a modern and clean technology using plasma for all kinds of trash. Plasma arc
technology is a waste treatment technology that uses high electrical energy and high temperature. This paper
describes the plasma arc technology for waste management and compares it with conventional methods. The
plasma is not applied to the waste directly, but used as a source of very high temperature for the waste nearby
which is therefore heated rapidly and substantially by radiation. By raising the waste to very high temperatures,
organic components are broken down into simpler atoms/molecules and inorganic components are melted into a
glassy slag. If conducted in an atmosphere containing oxygen, the organic components will burn to produce CO 2
and water. If carried out in the absence of oxygen, the process is referred to as ‘plasma gasification’ and will
produce a combustible gas, made up mainly of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen which can be cooled and
treated for use in other equipments. Plasma treatment of waste has the potential to be more flexible than
incineration because it can be modular. It takes very little time to dispose the waste materials. This technology
can be used for generating electricity. The gaseous by-product called syngas has high calorific value. Other by-
products of the process have varying applications in civil engineering.

INTRODUCTION temperature is in the range of 1500 degrees Celsius) into

simpler gases mainly H2 and CO2. Simpler gases, mainly
Waste is an unavoidable by-product of most human H2 can be used as ecological fuel to generate heat energy and
activity. Economic development and rising living standards electrical energy decreasing significantly (even to zero) cost
have led to increases in the quantity and complexity of of plasma formation and waste collection. Regained metals
generated waste, whilst industrial diversification and the from dissociation process can safely return to metallurgic
provision of expanded health-care facilities have added industry, and slag can be used as an additive to road and
substantial quantities of industrial hazardous waste and construction materials.
biomedical waste into the waste stream with potentially severe
environmental and human health consequences. BACKGROUND
Conventional waste treatment methods certainly such as
Plasma-arc technology was developed and employed in the
ash, dust, gases left behind can not be filtered off even with
metallurgy industry during the late 1800s to provide extremely
the usage of innovative technologies. The solution is a modern
high temperatures. During the early 1900s, plasma heaters
and clean technology of plasma utilization of all kinds of
were used in the chemical industry to manufacture acetylene
trash.
from natural gas. Plasma-arc heaters received renewed
The treatment of waste using this method does not cause attention when the United States NASA Space programme,
the emission of foul odours and does not produce a harmful during the early 1960s, evaluated and selected plasma-arc
ash, which is something that normally takes place in an heating technology for simulating and recreating the extreme
incinerating plant. Very hot plasma is formed by ionized gas high heat of re-entry into the earth’s dense atmosphere
in the strong electrical arc with the power ranging from 2 to encountered by spacecraft from orbit. Subsequently, small-
20 Mega Watts. Temperature of such plasma is very high, scale plasma heater processes were built and tested during the
ranging from 2000 to 6000 degrees Celsius. In such high 1970s. Large-scale industrial plants were built and
temperature all waste constituents, including metals, toxic commissioned during 1980s. Since then, various companies
materials, 1
like Pyrolysis Systems Inc., Canada, Siemens, Germany,
silicon, etc. are Final Year B.Tech Student, Toc H Institute of Plasma Energy Applied Technology Inc., USA,
totally melted Science and Technology, Arakkunnam. Plasmapole, France, etc. are active in the development of
forming non– 2
Head of Department, Dept. of Civil plasma systems using plasma-arc technology.
toxic dross. Engineering, Toc H Institute of Science and
Plastic, APPLICATION IN WASTE MANAGEMENT
Technology, Arakkunnam.
biological and
chemical Plasma arc gasification is a waste treatment
compounds, technology that uses high electrical energy and high
toxic gases temperature created by an electrical arc gasifier. The arc
yield complete dissociation (required minimal dissociation
1
breaks down waste primarily into elemental gas and solid referred to as ‘plasma gasification’ and will produce a
waste (slag), in a device called a plasma converter. The combustible gas, made up mainly of carbon monoxide (CO)
process has been intended to be a net generator of electricity, and hydrogen which can be cooled and treated for use in other
depending upon the composition of input wastes, and to equipment. Some metals, always including mercury but also
reduce the volumes of waste being sent to landfill sites. others (cadmium, lead, for example), will be evaporated at the
high temperatures and will leave with the exit gas stream from
The waste is broken down to create gas, solid and liquid
which they will need to be condensed/removed. Precursors to
residues. The gases can then be combusted in a secondary
dioxins/furanes will be destroyed at the high operating
process. The pyrolysis process thermally degrades waste in the
temperatures, though care is necessary to avoid them
absence of air (and oxygen). Gasification is a process in which
reforming as the gas stream is cooled. In the latest systems the
materials are exposed to some oxygen, but not enough to
temperature level has been reduced to optimise power use,
allow combustion to occur. Temperatures are usually above
which gives favourable conditions for volume reduction of ash
750 oC. In some systems the pyrolysis phase is followed by a
(as an inert glassy slag for beneficial use) and destruction of
second gasification stage, in order that more of the energy
toxic components in flue gases (Mott MacDonald, 2008).
carrying gases are liberated from the waste.
COMPONENTS OF PLASMA GASIFICATION
PLASMA
SYSTEM
Plasma is the fourth state of matter (the other three states
being solid, liquid and gas). It is an ionized gas that exists in The design of plasma gasification plant is not standardized
nature, for example, during lightning. Much of the universe and varies companies engaged in their manufacture custom
exits in plasma state. The sun, stars and interstellar matter are build the facility as per customers’ specifications. However,
plasma manifestations. The gas in the upper parts of the following are some of the essential parts of any such facility.
ionosphere (say, above 400km altitude) is completely ionized.
On cosmological scales, plasma is entirely dominating the TRITURATION AND CONVEYOR SECTION
universe, with safe estimates giving that atleast 99% of all
matter is in the plasma state. Plasmas are electrically This section comprises a grinder or crusher for breaking
conductive. These consist of freely moving charged particles, the trash in to manageable size for handling by conveyor,
i.e., electrons and ions along with neutrals – all at different which pushes it to the plasma furnace.
temperatures. Plasma densities vary widely from 10 3 to 1033
charged particles/m3 while the corresponding temperatures
vary from 102 Kelvin to 108 Kelvin.
PLASMA TORCH
Plasma (generally combinations of oxygen and nitrogen) is
produced when a high voltage direct current is applied across Plasma for the system is produced by using a device called
separated electrodes and the voltage raised until the gas plasma torch or plasmatrons. The plasma torch can produce
becomes conducting (‘ionises’) and arcs between the extremely high temperatures that cannot be otherwise created
electrodes. In the case of lightning, this converts the applied except through nuclear fusion/fission. By passing a DC
electrical energy to high temperature heat (>10,000 oC) local current between the cathode and the anode of the plasma arc
to the electrodes and the path between them. torch and simultaneously passing of air in the annular space of
the torch, an extremely high-temperature environment is
PRINCIPLE created ranging in temperature from 5,000 oC to 10,000 oC.

Relatively high voltage, high current electricity is passed Depending on the primary source, which can be direct
between two electrodes, spaced apart, creating an electrical current, alternating current at mains frequency, or at radio
arc. Inert gas under pressure is passed through the arc into a frequency, they are known as dc, ac or rf torches. A
sealed container of waste material, reaching temperatures as conventional dc plasma torch consists of a tungsten rod
high as 13,900 °C in the arc column. The temperature a few cathode and a water-cooled copper anode, shaped in the form
feet from the torch can be as high as 2,760-4,427 °C. At these of a nozzle. The two electrodes are separated by an insulator,
temperatures, most types of waste are broken into basic which also has an inlet for plasma gas. When a gas is
elemental components in a gaseous form, and complex introduced in the electrode gap and a dc arc is established
molecules are separated into individual atoms. between the electrodes, the arc is pushed through the nozzle
resulting in a high temperature, high velocity flame. The body
Use of plasma arcs (from electrical input) as part of waste of the torch consists of cooling chambers for cathode and
disposal/destruction has been in use for many years. By anode. The torch is supplied with water and power through
raising the waste to very high temperatures, such as 3000- water-cooled cables which are in turn coupled to the main
4000 oC for example, organic components are broken down power supply and water headers. Fig. 1 shows the different
into simpler atoms/molecules and inorganics are melted into a parts of a plasma torch.
glassy slag. If conducted in an atmosphere containing oxygen
(or air), the organic components will burn to produce CO 2 and
water. If carried out in the absence of oxygen, the process is
2
 A plasma reactor operates in an oxygen starved
environment and hence combustion process does not take
place. With core temperature running up to 10,000 oC, plasma
is able to breakdown toxic compounds within milliseconds,
avoiding the formation of secondary combustion products
including the polluting flue gas. The molecular dissociation
starts above 2700 oC. Any temperature below this will produce
incomplete dissociation. Thus with the temperatures achieved
in a system(above 2700 oC), all the molecules are totally
dissociated.
For waste processing, the plasma arc is not applied to the
waste itself, but used as a source of very high temperature heat
for the waste nearby which is therefore heated rapidly and
substantially by radiation, though not to the full temperatures
of the plasma.
Both organic and inorganic wastes including industrial,
biomedical, nuclear and e wastes can be processed at
Fig. 1. Plasma torch atmospheric pressure using this technology. The extreme
1.Cathode, 2.Gas flow, temperatures generated using a plasma torch system,
3.Anode, 4.Cooling transform the organic matter into basic gases such as synthetic
channel, 5.Plasma jet, gas (syngas) – a mix of hydrogen and carbon monoxide gas.
6.Substrate. This synthetic gas is almost a green fuel, which is used by
advanced gas turbines for the generation of electrical power.
PYROLYSIS CHAMBER The inorganic materials are simultaneously melted into
molten slag, which upon cooling becomes a vitrified, inert
It is an air-locked chamber with one or more plasma glass-like material (through magmavication process) that can
torches. It allows the garbage in but prevents hot gases from be used by the construction industry. The homogenous and
escaping in to the atmosphere. The chamber is lined with heat- sulphuric products contained in the feed are transformed to
resistant refractory material. Towards the bottom side of the hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydrofluoric acid (HF) and hydrogen
camber is drainage system for slag. It also incorporates a sulphide (H2S). Suitable neutralization techniques for these
water-cooling system. Towards the top of the chamber is the three products are employed. No ashes are produced in the
exit vent for the gases. process.
Syngas is made up of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, water
GAS REFORMER AND HEAT EXCHANGER
and nitrogen. Small amounts of chlorine, hydrogen sulfide,
particulate, carbon dioxide and metals with boiling points less
The reformer reforms hydrocarbon fuel into a reformate than 2280º F are contained in the gas. Because of the low
gas such as hydrogen-rich gas known as synthesis gas oxygen atmosphere and high temperature, the base elements
(syngas) or producer gas. In the heat exchanger, the hot gases of the gas cannot form toxic compounds such as furans,
heat water to produce steam turbine coupled to a generator to dioxins, NOx, or sulfur dioxide in the reactor. As the gas exits
produce electricity. the reactor it first goes to a gas reformer and then it is cooled
in a series of high temperature heat exchangers. The sensible
GAS CLEANUP FILTER heat is reduced to about 270º F and is used to generate high-
pressure steam that is fed to a steam turbine to produce
As the gases produced by pyrolysis mainly comprise electricity.
carbon monoxide (25 percent), hydrogen and hydrocarbons
(15 percent) and carbon dioxide and nitrogen (60 percent), the All the essential components of a plasma gasification plant
next step is to ‘clean’ the syngas or producer gas. It is done are show in Fig. 2.
using gas cleanup filter. Thereafter, the gas is burned in
internal combustion (IC) engine generator sets or turbines to
produce electricity.

PROCESS
First of all, the waste is passed through crusher and
grinder, so that the size can be reduced to a manageable size.
The crushed waste is fed in to the pyrolysis chamber from the
top. One or more plasma torches are installed in the chamber.

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 Fig. 2. Plasma Gasification Plant

BY PRODUCTS
The three major by products of the plasma gasification
process are syngas, vitrified glass and electricity. The by
products are explained below:
 Syngas
Syngas (from synthesis gas) is the name given to a gas
mixture. It consists primarily of hydrogen, carbon monoxide,
and very often some carbon dioxide, and has less than half the
energy density of natural gas. Syngas is combustible and often
used as a fuel source or as an intermediate for the production
of other chemicals.
 Vitrified Glass
From the inorganic fraction in the waste, an inert vitrified
glass is formed that has excellent applications in the
construction industry, including concrete aggregate, road
bed/fill and sandblasting.
 Electricity
High-pressure steam from the heat exchanger goes to a
steam turbine where it is converted to electricity. The
electricity generated with this steam source provides most of
the power needed for internal power requirements. The system
is capable of generating all its own internal requirements.
Other minor by products are metals, sodium bisulphate,
hydrochloric acid, ethanol and distilled water.

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 available markets for the produced slag. On the other hand, the
use of plasma gasification processes reduce methane
INCINERATION VS PLASMA ARC emissions produced from the disposal to landfill sites while as
a waste to energy treatment method, enables the displacement
TECHNOLOGY of CO2 that would have been emitted had the electricity been
generated from fossil
Incineration is merely the burning of waste material
in the presence of oxygen. Incinerators have significant air
emission control problems. It has been found in a survey
ADVANTAGES
conducted in Delhi that incinerators work at low temperatures
(400–500°C). There is a possibility of the survival of The major advantages of plasma technology are as
pathogens if the incineration is incomplete or done at low follows:
temperature. Airflow that is in excess of the stoichiometric  Compared to combustion/incineration technology, it
requirement for combustion is essential for the incinerator to creates much less atmospheric pollution.
enhance the combustion process. The demand for excess
airflow limits the temperature that is achievable. Due to  In techno-economic terms, oxides of nitrogen and
insufficient temperature generated in the process chamber, sulphur are not emitted during normal operations because the
incinerators produce extremely toxic products like furanes and system works in the absence of oxygen.
dioxins. This can cause air pollution or the toxic pollutants can  Toxic materials become encapsulated and are
remain in the bottom ash, eventually finding their way into therefore such safer to handle than the toxic ash left by
landfills. (Nema, S.K. and Ganeshprasad, K.S.,2002) combustion process.
Whereas, in case of plasma waste treatment, very high
temperatures are obtained and complete dissociation of waste  It reduces the need for landfills. The plasma arc
takes place. Thus, no residue is formed which is to be again would instantly convert organic materials in to synthetic gas,
treated as waste. often called ‘syngas’, and melt inorganic materials, which
when cooled become rock-like and can be sold as construction
OPERATION COST materials. With no remaining waste to deal with, landfills
become obsolete.
The electrical power requirement for conversion of one  It takes very less time to dispose waste materials.
tonne of municipal solid waste into vitrified solids and metals,
hydrogen and carbon monoxide gas averages around 670 units  This technology can be utilized to run large scale
(kWh). At Rs 3 per unit, the cost of conversion works out to waste treatment plant with less running cost.
be Rs 2000 per tonne. Although one may be able to reduce the  The by-products of the process have varying
running cost by, say, 75 per cent, after selling the byproducts, applications.
the net cost of the plant would still be Rs 750 per tonne.
 The plants are modular. They are made up of small
As an example, let us consider Delhi with its current
units which can be added or taken and are therefore more
population of over 15 million. The average garbage generation
flexible.
may be assumed to be 0.7 kg per person per day (against
Americans’ average of about 2 kg per person per day).
Accordingly, Delhi would be generating around 10,500 metric DISADVANTAGES
tonnes of garbage per day. The net operational cost would thus
be Rs 7.875 million per day (at Rs 750 per tonne) or Rs 2870 The major disadvantages of this technology are stated
million per annum. This is in addition to garbage collection below:
and transportation and other infrastructure costs. A Startech  The installation cost of the waste treatment plant is
plasma converter that could handle 2000 tonnes of waste daily high. The average cost of setting up a plasma pyrolysis plant
costs roughly $250 million. Delhi would require eight such is about Rs. 1-1.2 million.
huge plants at a whopping cost of $1000 million (roughly Rs
40 billion).( Bhasin, K. C.,2009)  Volatile metals will vaporize and be carried out of
the unit with the air stream. The materials of construction of
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT the unit and the air management system will have to be
designed to handle these materials if they are introduced into
Plasma gasification uses an external heat source to gasify the unit.
the waste. Almost all of the carbon is converted to fuel gas.  The electrodes used to produce the arc are consumed
Plasma gasification is the closest technology available to pure gradually during the waste melting cycle. They should be
gasification. Because of the temperatures and drastic replaced regularly.
conditions involved all the tars, char and dioxins are broken
down. The exit gas from the reactor is cleaner and there is no CONCLUSION
ash at the bottom of the reactor, while there are no by-
products that end up to landfills provided that there are
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 Plasma-based systems have been widely used for REFERENCES
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environmental credentials, compact footprint and potential for of Medical Waste”, Current Science, 83(3), 271-278
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downstream power generation equipment. Products are now Mott MacDonald (2008), Review of Plasma Arc Technology,
being offered with net electrical output and claimed low Surrey County Council, Surrey.
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