DESIGN AND OPERATION OF A SUSPENSION

FIRED INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL

SYSTEM FOR KODAK PARK
ROBERT L. MERLE, P.E.
MELVIN C. YOUNG
GLEN R. LOVE
Eastman Kodak
INTRODUCTION
Kodak Park is an industrial complex in
Rochester, New York where the center of photo
graphic technology is located. It is a 2000 acre
complex with more than 200 buildings where
30,000 people are employed. This great concentra
tion of people and facilities has all the problems
of a city including the problem of solid waste
disposal.
A study of waste disposal problems was begun
in 1964 and after consideration of various schemes
it was decided that a suspension fired system would
best meet the needs for burning general plant
wastes and industrial waste treatment plant sludge.
Some chemical wastes are disposed of in this facil
ity. All waste fuels are prepared and then convey
ed into the boiler furnace combustion chamber.
When this system concept was installed, it was
new and untried, as a result there was a consider
able amount of debugging required. The major
problems occurred in the material handling areas
with storage bins and conveyors. Some problems
have resulted because of limited area. There have
been boiler problems but only of a minor nature.
This facility was a new system at a new location
(see Figure 1) and as a result it was necessary for
us to hire new men to develop a training program
to instruct the men.
151
DESIGN
BACKGROUND
Normally, Kodak performs engineering and
design on most of its facilities but on this project
we decided to retain an outside engineering firm,
Metcalf and Eddy Engineersof Boston. Our
Engineering Division was overloaded during this
period and we believed that the experience of an
outside firm with a background in solid waste
would be valuable. Much of the work was done in
collaboration between Kodak and M&E Engineers.
Consulting work was also performed by Arthur D.
Little Inc. of Cambridge, Mass. and later Combus
tion Engineering assisted in completing the modi
fications.
The site selected for the new solid waste dispos
al system was in Kodak Park West near the geo
graphical center of the Kodak Park manufacturing
operation. This area was also a desirable location
because in the immediate vicinity we have an exist
ing incinerator, an ash silo, a steam distribution
system and a 360 f1. (110 M) chimney.
We decided that the solid waste disposal system
would be sized for 314 TD (285 metric tons/day)
of general plant refuse and industrial waste water
treatment plant sludge. The general refuse portion
of the system was sized for 180 TPD (163 metric
`7
tons/day) of paper, wood, plastics, rags, garbage,
etc. with an assumed heat value of 7300 Btu/lb
(1.697 X 107 j/Kg). The ultimate analysis is as
shown in Table 1. The sludge portion of the system
was sized for 134 TPD (122 metric tons/day) of
30 percent solids sludge or 114 TPD (103 metric
tons/day) of 20 percent solids sludge. Sludge
characteristics are as shown in Table 2.
REFUSE
ULTI MATE
C
H

CI
S
Ash
H20
TABLE 1
CHARACTER ISTICS
ANAL YSIS
40.0%
5.9%
34.2%
1.5%
0.5%
6.7%
11.2%
100.0%
Btu/lb 7,300 (1.697 X 107 j/Kg)
TABLE 2
DRY INDUSTRIAL WASTE
TREATMENT PLANT SLUDGE
Moisture
Volatile Matter
Fixed Carbon
Ash
15%
49.50%
3.88%
31.62%
100.0%
Btu/lb 4,170 (9.24 X 107 j/Kg)
DISPOSAL SYSTEM
The solid waste disposal system selected was a
suspension fred water wall boiler. This system was
selected because Kodak Park has its own steam
distribution and power producing facilities and as
a result we can justify heat recovery. We believed
that much better combustion would be attained
with shredded refuse, 'and that silver recovery from
the dry ash was desirable because it had to be
shipped out. Use of an electrostatio precipitator
was required to meet air pollution regulations and
to get a dry flyash. The system would be required
to dispose of both sludge and general plant refuse
and we were not satisfied with the systems in
common use.
There are two types of material delivered to
the disposal system. These materials are:
a) Industrial waste water treatment plant sludge
b) General plant refuse - mainly dry paper,
cardboard, plastic, sweeping and miscellan
eous production waste
SLUDGE
The sludge is delivered to a sludge storage bin
by loadlugger bucket, (see Figure 2). A variable
speed screw conveyor below the vibratory hopper
controls the sludge feed rate. The hopper is sized
to hold 1350 cu. ft. (38 Cu M) of sludge, which is
a 7 to 8 hour supply. The sludge is delivered by
conveyors to a fash drying system at a rate up to
5 TPH (4.5 metric tons/hr) (see Table 4). In the
mixer sludge is conditioned with previously dried
sludge to a mixture which is about 50 percent
moisture. From the mixer the sludge drops into the
cage mill where the flash drying occurs. The cage
mill is similar to a fan, except that the spider has
bars and paddles welded perpendicularly to it and
does not have blades. Flue gases at 1000F
(538C) are intimately mixed with the conditioned
sludge. The water is flashed"off as vapor and is
conveyed into the cyclone separator where solids
are separated from the flue gas and vapor. The
dried sludge has about 15 percent moisture. Te
sludge leaves the cyclone through a rotary air lock.
As the sludge leaves the air lock, the stream is split
recycling approximately 90 percent back for con
ditioning and 10 percent to be burned. Each
sludge stream for burning goes through a rotary air
lock into a tee injector where an air stream from a
positive displacement blower picks it up and
pneumatically conveys it to two diagd' nally oppo
site corners of the boiler for burning (see Table 7).
At present we are supplementing the belt conveyor
system with a moyno pumping system. The belt
conveyors will be retained as a back-up system.
REFUSE
The general plant refuse (see Figure 2) is dump
ed into the storage pit by packer truck, loadlugger
bucket or other collection vehicles. In front of the
pit there is a 10 ft. (3.05 M) wide vestibule which
the trucks back into, so that paper will be prevent
ed from blowing into the street. At each dumping
point there is a down blast unit heater. The vesti
bule and pit area are completely sprinkler protect
ed. There are sprays both in the front and rear wall
of the pit to suppress dust clouds that occasionally
rise when a load is dumped. The pit is capable of
153

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holding approximately 390 tons (345 metric tons)
of Kodak refuse. The refuse is picked out of the
pit by a bridge crane with a 5 cy (3.8 Cu. M) buck-

et which is capable of feeding the shredder up to
20 TPH (18 metric tons/hr). The crane delivers the
refuse to an infeed system which feeds the material
to the final sizing shredder.
The crane is a two girder single trolley, 8 ton
(8 metric tons), traveling grapple type. It operates
over a refuse bin approximately 32 ft. (10 M) wide
by 100 ft. (30 M) long by 17 ft. (5 M) deep. The
crane rails are located about 32 ft. (10 M) above
the top of the bin.
Control of the crane and grapple is from an
air-conditioned pulpit located in and projecting
from the side wall near the shredder. The shredder
is located at one end of the runway. The crane is
designed to perform at least 40 cycles per hour
with an allowance of 20 percent of the hour for.re
handling and operators relief. The operator sits in
an armchair with control levers conveniently
located within his reach.
The full load speeds, horsepower, and motor
RMs of the units are as follows:
FPM(M/M) H(MPH) RPM
Holding Hoist 260(79) 125(127) 900
Closing Hoist 260(79) 125(127) 900
Trolley Travel 150(46) 15( 15) 1200
Bridge Travel 250(76) 40( 41)
1200
The control is a saturable reactor type which
provides cushioned starting and acceleration. This
reduces maintenance and provides for .low sof
speed spotting regardless of the load.
Protective zones are provided preventing the
operator from drawing the grapple into the wall,
pulpit, etc.
The system is designed to permit future auto
matic control.
The refuse shredder is designed to give a product
2 in. x 2 in. x 2 in. (5 CM x 5 CM x 6 CM), at a
rate of 35 TPH (32 metric tons/hr). We are using
an Eidal Shredder (see Table 11) which is a
vertical shafted ring hammer type shredder driven
by two 400 Hp (406 MPH) motors. At the
entrance to the shredder an infeed unit puts in a
constant feed. At the shredder bottom there are
blades which sweep the material out the discharge.
Directly coupled to the shredder discharge is an
air classifier that separates the light and heavy
fractions. The light fraction is pneumatically con
veyed to the cyclone separator (see Table 10). In
the cyclone air and material are separated, dropping
the material into the surge bin. The air goes thru a
wet scrubber before discharge to the atmosphere .
TABLE 3
Boiler
Combustion Engineering VU40 Boiler
400 Psig 550 F
(2.81 X 105 Kgs/sq. m 288C)
. Expansion 2'/16" down (5.1 em)
Capacity
180 TPH (163 metric tons/hr) Refuse
134 TPH (122 metric tons/hr) Sludge
77 ,000 Ib/hr (34,900 Kg/hr) Steam on Refuse and Sludge
135,000 Ib/hr (61,300 Kg/hr) Steam on Refuse, Sludge
and Oil
150,000 Ib/hr (68,100 Kg/hr) Steam on No. 6 Oil
Boiler Bank
6" (170 em) 10 Upper Drum 11" (3.8 em) Thick
42" (105 em) 10 Lower Drum 1" (2.54 em) Thick
456 2" (5 em) 00 Convection Tubes-6" (15 em) Spac
ing. 19 Rows Wide 24 Rows Deep
Furnace
7000 cf (198 em)
44 21" (6.2 em) 00 62 f. (18.7 m) Length Each Side
39 - 21" (6.2 em) 00 6 ft. (18 m) Length Front Wall
39 - 21" (6.2 em) 00 43 ft. (13 m) Length Rear Wall
8'/." (21.8 em) Upper Header
10%" (27.3 em) Lower Rind Header
2 - 12" (30.5 em) Down Commers
2170 sq. ft. (201.5 sq. m) Radiant Surface
530 sq. ft. ( 49.2 sq. m) Convection Surface
Economizer
2030 sq. ft. (189 sq. m) Economizer Surface 2" (5 em)
00 Tubes
Air Heater
8750 sq. ft. (8.2 sq. m) Tubular Air Heater
Superheater
'9 Platen Units Pendant Type Not Drainable
2'/." (5.2 em) 00 Tubes
Soot Blowers
4 Diamond Power Retractible Model IK Blowers
4 - Diamond Power IR Blowers
TABLE 4
Flash Drying Systems
Raymond Division of Combustion Engineering
Capacity 114 TPD (104 MTPD) at 80% H20
134 TPD (122 MTPD) at 70% H20
#75-30 Cage Mill 30 Hp (30.4 MHP)
14' ( 4.2 m) Diameter Cyclone - Gunite Lined
16" (40 em) Rotary Air Lock on Bottom of Cyclone
22" (56 em) Double Paddle Mixer - 20 Hp (20.2 MHP)
#37 Series 106 American Standard Vapor Fan 150 Hp
(152 MHP)
156
TABLE 5
Forced Draft Fan
Clarage #089 Type AF Arr. 1 SWSl
81,800 Ib/hr (37,100 Kg/he) EV<poration
25,500 cfm (722 cm m) at 80 F (27 C)
10.9" (27 cm) W.G. A Outlet
72.5 BHP (73.5 MBHP) at 1775 RPM
200 Hp (202.8 MHP)
TABLE 6
Induced Draft Fan
Clarage #5098 Type DN Arr. 36-2 DWD I
81,800 Ib/hr (37,100 Kg/he) Evaporation
63,00 cfm (1784 cm m) at 550F (288C)
3.2" (8.1 e) W.G. At Inlet

90.0 BHP (91.2 MBHP) at 875 RPM
250 Hp (253.5 MHP) Motor
TABLE 7
Boiler Pneumatic Feed Systems
Sludge
Rader Pneumatics
2 Systems
6 psi (4218 Kgs/sq. m) Sutrobilt Blowers - 2DHP
(20.3 MHP)
14 X 18 E F Feeders - 2 Hp (2 MHP)
5" (12.7 cm) Conveying Line
Refuse
Rader Pneumatics
4 Systems
6 psi (4218 Kgs/sq. m) Sutrobilt Blowers - 2DHP
(20.3 MHP)
14 X 18 E F Feeders - 2 Hp (2 MHP)
5" (12.7 cm) Conveying Line
Worth ington
TABLE 8
Boiler Feed Pumps
3 - Pumps Model 2WTF-86
6 Stages
2 Motor Driven 125 Hp (126.7 MHP)
2 - Turbine Driven - Terry 2-1 Single Stage 3500 RPM
106,000 Ib/hr (1494 Kg/hr)
222F (106C)
517 psig (3.63 X 10' Kg/sq. m)
25 psig Inlet Pressure (1.75 X 10' Kg/sq. m)
TABLE 9
Electrostatic Precipitator
Wheelabrator Corp.
101,500 ACFM (2874 cm/m) at 625F (329C)
99% Efficient
24 Plates
21 Electroces 288" (731 cm) Star Shape
2 - Series Sections
25,950 sq. ft. (2410 sq. m) Collecting Surfaces
24,150 Lf (7360 m) Electrodes
45 KV D.C.
24 Plate Hammers
23 Electrode Hamrrers
Heated Insulator Compartments
2 - Silicon Full Wave Rectifiers
700 MA and 1000 MA at 45 V
Rader Pneumatics
TABLE 10
Pneumatic System
350 Hp (355 MHP) N.Y. Blower Series 40 Size 491
51,200 cfm (1449 cm/m) at 32" (81 cm) Static Pressure
Arrangement 8
300 LF (90 m) of 38" (97 cm) Diam. Conveying Pipe
140 LF (42 m) of 44" (112 cm) Diam. Clean Air Pipe
. American Air Filter Type R Roto-Clone Size 12 and
Type 48 Settling Tank
168" (427 cm) Diam. Cyclone
6
"
X 60" (152 cm X 152 cm) Rotary Air Lock with
25 HP (25 MHP) Motor
Gama-O-Switch Plug Detector
Air Density Separator
Heavies Removal System

TABLE 11
Refuse Shredder
Pangborn ( Formerly Eidal Int.!
Model 800 Modified
2 - 400 Hp (406 MHP) 480/3/60 Motors 1250 RPM
35 TPH (32 MTPA)
1 - 75 Hp (76 MHP)
TABLE 12
Surge Bin
Sprout Waldron, Inc. Live Center Bin
4 - Horizontal Outfeed Screws Variable Pitch from 4"

157
(10 cm) to 14" (45 cm), 18' (5.2 m) long, Driven by
7.5 Hp (7.5 MHP) Motor
14 - Vertical Screws Fixed Pitch 18" (48 cm) OD., 40'
(12 m) Long, Each Driven by a 7.5 HP (7.5 MHP)
Motor
The surge bin has a volume of about 81S cu. yd.
(623 Cu. M) (see Table 12). This sytem consists of
14 vertical - 18 in. (46 em) 00, fixed pitch screws,
40 feet (12.2 M) in length, and four horizontal
18 in. (46 cm) 00, variable pitch, out feed screws.
The vertical screws are designed to maintain a live
center by raising the material up off the bottom
outfeed screws. This reduces the bridging effect by
removing one whole side of the bin. The outfeed
screws load up with material dropping off the bot
tom and convey it out of storage to the boiler feed
system.
The refuse is fed through four rotary air locks
into a pneumatic feed system (see Table 7). The
refuse drops into a pneumatic boiler feed system

"T" injector where air supplied by a positive dis-
placement blower, picks up the material. Refuse
is air conveyed at velocities of 100 to 120 FPS (30
to 37 M/S) into the boiler for combustion. The
refuse is fed to four corners of the boiler.
The heart of the system is a Combustion
Engineering VU40 corner fred boiler (see Figue
3 and Table 3). Flash dried sludge is pneu
matically fed to two corners and shredded
refuse is pneumatically fed to four corners of
the boiler. In addition, waste solvents are being
burned through one of the spare burners. The
other spare opening will be used for burning
another waste. The source of ignition is #
oil. The boiler is fired with # oil as a supple-

men tal fuel when refuse is fred and as full fuel
. .
when only sludge is fred.
The design capacity of the boiler on #6 oil is
l S0,000 lbs/hr (68,100 Kg/hr). Steam is generated
at 400 psig (28.12 Kg/Sq. cm), SSOF (288C)
and then reduced to 260 psig (18.28 Kgs/Sq. cm)
as it enters the plant distribution system.
A portion of the .combusion occurs in suspen
sion. Material not burned in suspension falls to the
dump grate where combustion is completed. The
ashes on the grate are dumped into the ash pit
twice a trick. The boiler is top supported and
expansion is down. The ash hopper is separated
from the boiler and is base mounted. A water seal
on the top of the ash hopper seals the boiler and
ash pit so that flue gases do not pass into the boil
er room.
The flue gases are about 2S00F (1371 0c), and
ISOOF (816C) at the boiler bank, (816C) and
1000F (S38C) leaving. The 1000F (S38C)
flue gas is taken off after the boiler bank and sent
to the flash drying system. The flash drying system
gases are sent back into the boiler at 2S0F (I 21
C). This takes place in an area where the boiler
tubes have been bent to allow cooled flue gas to
enter for deodorization. Balance of gas continues
through the boiler economizer and air heater leav
ing at about, SSOF (288C). The boiler bank has
2 in. (S.06 CM) tubes on 6 in. ( l S.24 CM) centers.
The upper drum is 66 in. (167.6 CM) diameter and
the lower drum is 42 in. (I06.6 CM) diameter.
Originally a superheater was not supplied in this
unit, but was later added because of turbine ero
sion in an adjacent building. The boiler is a balanc
ed draft unit with both a forced draft and induced
draf fan (see Table S and 6). The furnace is run
with a slightly negative pressure.
The boiler bank, air heater, and'economizer
were shipped completely assembled to cut down
on erection costs. The convection bank alone
weighed 40 tons (36 metric tons). The furnace
side walls were shipped in eight sections.
The heating surfaces in the boiler bank are
cleaned by Diamond Power Model IK retractable
soot blowers. IR type soot blowers have been install
ed for side wall deslagging. 260 psig (18.28 Kg/Sq.
cm) steam is used for the cleaning medium.
The surfaces of the economizer and ai heater
are cleaned by a Diamond Power shot cleaning
system which' dribbles steel shot down over the
tubes.
Combustion air enters the boiler at three levels.
About 40 percent enters through three levels of
overflfe air nozzles (4 per level), SO percent enters
with the fuel at the burners and 10 percent enters
below the grate as underfire air.
The boiler has four burners, one on each boiler
corner. The fuels and air are introduced tangential
ly into the furnace through the burners. Each burn
er has a wind box divided into four compartments.
Three of the compartments introduce air with the
fuels, the fourth compartment introduces only
auxiliary air. In the oil burner compartment there
is a # oil gun and a # oi Eddy plate ignitor.
The burners are monitored by ultraviolet flame
scanners.
IS8
The flue gas is cleaned by a Wheelabrator
Electrostatic Precipitator before being vented to
the atmosphere through a 360 ft. (109.7 M) chim
ney. The precipitator is rated 90 percent effcient
at 101 ,SOO ACFM (2874 A CM/Min), at 62SoF
(329.4C).
Gas velocities through the precipitator wil vary
from approximately 2.24 ft./sec, (.68 M/sec.), at
77 ,000 lbs/hr (34,927 Kg/M) to 3.42 ft/sec (1,04/
sec), at 13S,OOO lbs/hr (61,236 Kg/M)(see Table
9). The precipitator consists of two series sections,
each with 24 vertical plates (see Table 9).
The boiler feed water is supplied from an existing
plant condensate system. The condenste forward
ing system provides pumping capacity to the new
feedwater system. The condensate is passed through
a cation exchange unit and then through a deaera
tor to a feedwater storage tanle Feedwater is pump
ed to the boiler by three Worthington Model
2WTF-86 boiler feed pumps (see Table 8) rated at
106,00 Ib/hr (48,082 Kg/M) roughly two thirds
boiler capacity, and 517 psig. Two pumps are
motor driven and the other is driven by a 260 to 5
psig (18.28 to .35 Kg/Sq. cm) steam turbine.
The control system for the Solid Waste Disposal
system has been designed to burn all fuels with
proper excess air. Because the refuse and sludge Btu
value varies widely, it is necessary to determine the .
air required for waste fuel burning by measuring
the total Btu input by means of steam flow and
subtracting the No. 6 fuel oil Btu input. Air is then
distributed in proper proportion to the oil and
waste fuel burners, with the final fuel air ratio
adjusted from the fue gas O2 content. Any fuel
,rate increase will immediately increase the furnace
air and any fuel rate decrease will reduce the
furnace air on a delayed basis, insuring sufficient
excess air during transient conditions. Smoke den
sity is monitored afer the precipitator. Critical
temperatures and pressures are monitored through
out the system.
The boiler bottom ash and the electrostatic
precipitator fyash are removed by a United Con
veyor steam exauster pneumatic system. The
bottom ash is dumped manually and the flyash is
automatically removed by a sequential system. Ash
is removed from the silo and loaded into railroad
cars. The ash is shipped to a smelter for silver
recovery.
Since this waste disposal method was new, it
was necessary to conduct some test work before
proceeding with the concept. Tests were conducted
on application of shredding, sludge storage, refuse
storage, conveying and electrostatic precipitation.
In addition visitations were made to various instal
lations before selecting a system.
OPERATION
On a new system such as this, things do not
always operate the way you would like them to
and it has been necessary to alter procedures and
to revise equipment. The following section describ-
159
es some of our experiences and some things which
we did to make corrections.
BOILER OPERATION
The boiler is equipped with combustion control
equipment normally associated with a power boil
er in addition to boiler permissives required for
firing waste fuels. Boiler start-up is accomplished
with No. 2 oil ignitors and No. 6 main oil burners
as prescribed by manufacturers' warm-up require
ments. When the boiler load is above oil fire ball,
shredded refuse may be fired into the boiler. Nor
mally the refuse is started on one refuse burner at
a time rd the oil fow to the boiler reduced to
maintain approximately the same load. Prior to
burning sewage sludge, the boiler exit temperature
must be above 900F (482C) in order to have
suffcient hot flue gas to dry the sludge in the
fash drying system.
The sludge burning requirement is such that the
sludge drying system must be operated on a con
tinuous basis. When sufficient refuse is not avail
able to maintain the boiler, main oil is fired in
conjunction with sludge. Prior to refuse firing on a
continuous basis, the boiler was operated on main
oil and sludge in conjunction with the sludge fash
drying system. During approximately nine months
of operation in this manner, it was found the boil
er could operate from 70,000 lbs/hr (31,752 Kg/hr)
to 150,000 lbs/hr (67,890 Kg/hr) of ste'am load
and still maintain the boiler exit temperature near
1000F (5 38C) to operate the sludge drying
system. This is accomplished by selected use of
four soot blowers in the boiler bank area for
cleaning the boiler tubes. Operation in this manner
allowed the boiler to be used to fre waste fuels in
addition to using it as a power boiler to meet the
plant steam load demanded.
Startup of the boiler and operation in fuing
waste fuels pointed out several problems and
operating criteria not originally anticipated. Coordi
nation with the manufacturers resolved the main
problem within a short period.
The vapor return plenum chamber refractory,
located on the back of the boiler just above the
burner level, was not installed with sufficient heat
resistivity and was replaced with a castable insulat
ing refractory.
The economizer and air heater is equipped with
a shot cleaning system to clean the gas side of the
tubular surfaces. Shot carry-over problems were
experienced in the breaching leading to the preci-
pitator. This problem was resolved by installing
false tubes and an egg crate type baffle below the
air heater to reduce the shot fall velocity, thus
preventing carry-over.
Inspection of the boiler, air heater, economizer,
and precipitator afer operation on waste fuels
indicated no signs of deterioration or corrosion
due to the firing of waste fuels.
SLUDGE DRYING SYSTEM
The basic design, operation and capacity of the
sludge drying system was covered under the
design section. During startup of the system, it was
found necessary to maintain a reliable, controlled
wet sludge feed rate for correct heat and moisture
balance in the fash drying system.
The sludge is put into a 25 cy (19 Cu. M) stor
age bin. This unit was a live bottom vibrating bin
designed to discharge sludge onto a belt conveyor.
This sludge metering method from storage was not
successful. Furthermore, unit maintenance was
excessive during the first six months. A remote
controlled variable speed screw conveyor was
installed to meter the wet sludge feeding the
system. This along with a slide gate at the bin
bottom has proved adequate for controlling the
system feed rate.
The operators must understand and interpret
the dried sludge characteristics; particularly the
density, moisture, and heat value and adjust the
system operation accordingly. The sludge char
acteristics vary greatly due to changes in makeup.
Wet sludge is a variable mixture of primary and

secondary sludge from the Kodak Park's industrial
waste treatment plant.
A small air flow back through the rotary air
'lock can cause suspension of a dried low density
sludge in the cyclone. Increasing dried sludge
moisture content will increase the density and pre
vent cyclone plugging problems. The vapor fan
suction and cyclone draft may be reduced to pre
vent cyclone plugging, but this reduces the drying
capacity of the system.
A low moisture content in the dried sludge
may cause the vapor fan to carry sludge particles
in the gas stream leaving the cyclone. When this
was experienced, this increased the combustibles
in the precipitator and caused burning of the flyash
in the precipitator storage hoppers. Increasing the
dried sludge moisture content to excessive levels
will cause unburned sludge to pile-up on the boiler
grates and to be removed with the bottom ash.
Generally, a .dried sludge moisture level of 15 per
cent while fring oil and 15 to 25 percent while
firing refuse is acceptable for complete combus
tion on the grates and preventing carry-ver of
unburned sludge to the precipitator.
During de-bugging of the sludge drying system,
minor dust explosions were observed in the cage
mill and adjacent ducts. This safety hazard was due
to dry dust particles coming in contact with the
hot metal surfaces during startup and shutdown of
the system. To prevent this, a 10 psi (0.70 Kgs/Sq.
cm) steam inerting system was installed at the cage
mill and cyclone separator to be used on system
startup and shutdown.
REFUSE PREPARATION SYSTEM
This system includes a pit, infeed unit, shredder,
air classifier, dense fraction removal, pneumatic
conveying system, air scrubber, and silo surge bin.
The original refuse preparation system suffered
from numerous problems. The shredder, shredder
infeed, belt conveyors, and storage silo only work
ed partially.
The shredder infeed would bridge over prevent
ing material from entering the shredder. The shred
der had two major bearing failures and material
would wrap around the top shaft causing overheat
ing of the top bearing.
160
The shredded refuse was about Ilb/cf (16
Kg/CuM) density and dusty. This dust would
accumulate in the belt conveyors causing a major
housekeeping problem. The shredder would work
metal to the pOint that the hot chunks would
cause smoldering fires in the dust. The conveyors
were designed for a density of 5 lb/cf (80 Kgs/
CuM), with the lighter density the system capacity
could not be met.
The storage silo had a vibratory bottom design
ed to induce material flow to the boiler feed
system. Only the vibration tended to densify and
compact the shredded material. Consequently
material bridges occurred across the silos 26 ft
(7.8 M) diameter. At this point the silo was bypass
ed and a direct feed from the shredder to the boil
er via the conveyors was established.
At this point a major study was launched on
the material handling system. Out of this study a
complete change took place, in the Material Han
dling System.
The shredder was completely rebuilt. Major
changes were made in the base and the bearing
arrangement. The most significant change made
was moving the bottom bearing from above to
below the bull gear with accessability from a bot
tom sump. The original bearing had an expected
life of 2000 hours, the new bearing has an expected
life of 35 ,000 hours. Adjustable choker bars were
installed for grind size control and the discharge
was rotated 90 CCW so as to close couple the air
classifier.
After shredding the material is discharged direct
ly into an air classifer. The light fraction is convey
ed away and the heavy fraction drops and is con
veyed to a bucket elevator that discharges to a load
lugger. This is presently landfilled. We are working
on further separation of this material. The light
fraction is Gonveyed about 150 ft (46 M) horizon
tally and 160 f (49 M) vertically through a 38 in.
(97 CM) diameter line to a 168 in. (427 CM) diam
eter cyclone. Here the material and air is separated.
The air goes through a 40 in. (102 C) American
A Filter wet scrubber and 350 HP NY Blower,
venting to the atmosphere. The material , in the
cyclone drops down through a 60 in. x 60 in.
(152 CM x 152 CM) rotary air lock, then into the
surge silo. We are still experiencing minor carry
over through the cyclone which causes plugging o
_
f
the scrubber. Also the scrubber is plagued with
dust plugging the spray nozzles. We are to solve
these problems in the near future.
The storage silo was redesigned using a live cen
ter concept. The cone shaped bin bottom was re
moved and replaced with a wedge shaped bottom;
it accommodates four horizontal outfeed screws.
Fourteen vertical screws, 40 ft (12 M) long, 1.5 f
(.45 M) diameter, fixed pitch; lift the material up
ward to drop freely into the outfeed screws. The
four outfeed screws, 18 ft (5.3 M) long, 1.5 f
(.45 M) diameter, variable pitch 4 in to 14 in
(10 CM to 35 CM), convey material out to the
boiler refuse feed system.
This silo surge bin partially worked, the outfeed
screws continuously jambed against the bin side.
The supplier Sprout Waldron Inc., was contacted
for help. Actual field tests indicated that the screw
jambing was caused by vertical and angular loads
acting on the screw. A shroud was installed partial
ly covering the horizontal screw and transmitting
the load into the vertical screws. This solved the pro-
,
blem and mixed the refuse much more thoroughly.
The four silo outfeeds drop into separate
furnace feed systems, consisting of a 25 in. x
30 i. (63 CM x 77 CM) rotary air lock. The
material is air conveyed into the four cdrners of

the waste heat boiler.

161
The rotary air locks are susceptible to jambing
caused by material wedging between the rotor and
housing. We are presently investigating alternate
means of feeding the boiler. This would mean
eliminating the rotary air locks.
ASH HANDLING
The bottom ash is removed from the boiler by
the use of air cylinder operated dump grates to ash
hoppers. Ash is dumped manually. There are pro
visions for future installation of clinker grinders
and automatic removal to the ash conveying line.
The ash is pneumatically conveyed to the ash stor
age silo.
As stated earlier, sludge and oil firing resulted in
clinker formation on the boiler walls. Large clink
ers falling caused the grates to bend and proved
difficult in getting clinkers through and into the
hoppers. A large amount of labor was required in
reducing the clinkers down to a size for conveying.
Since the bottom ash was very abrasive, it has
been fOlnd necessary to replace wear backs in the
ash conveying line elbows on six month intervals.
Some problems were also caused from the ash
conveying system pulling fue gas into the convey
ing line, resulting in vapor condensation and line
plugging. Other fyash problems encountered in
the precipitator hoppers, during removal were,
burning and clinker-like ash formations. A new ash
grate with tight shutoff was installed to prevent
air infitration. More frequent ash removal and
better combustion have helped to reduce this
problem.
OPERATOR TRAINING
Since the solid waste disposal system was a new
concept with very little knowledge and experience
available from our operational aspect, a complete
training program was formalized. Each operator
was given a two month, on-the-job training period
on boiler operation and feedwater testing in Kodak
Park's power plant prior to startup of the solid
waste disposal boiler. Approximately 25 hours of
classroom instruction was presented to each
operator along with a training manual containing
the operating principles of all systems and equip
ment, operator maintenance, operating procedure,
and startup and shutdown procedures. In addition,
a great deal of training and supervision was required
during the initial startup and operation of each
system. Operators are also required to attend class-
es and obtain a Stationary Engineers License from
the City of Rochester i order to operate a high
pressure boiler.
problems in the original design were associated
,
.
with the materials handling system. Since the
redesign, the system is working extremely well.
CONCLUSION
Our experience to date indicates that we can
burn refuse and sludge in suspension. The main
Our experience and research has shown us that
technological development of refuse handling needs
a great deal of work and that particular attention
must be paid to details in designing a material han
dling system.
Key Words
Waste Disposal
Industrial Waste Disposal
Heat Recovery
Incineration
Solid Waste
Shredded Refuse
Suspension Firing
162