title: Emissions of polychlorinated diphenyl ethers from a municipal solid waste incinerator during the start-up operation.
abstract: This study examines the emissions of polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs) during the start-up processes of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI). Both normal and modified emission control start-ups were tested. Fifteen samples were taken from the flue gas with increasing furnace temperature. Peak PCDE concentrations of 1.48-10.3 ng/Nm(3) were observed at 8-11 h after the start of combustion, when the furnace temperature was in the range of 267-440 °C, that also needed for PCDD/F formation by de novo synthesis. The PCDE emissions could thus, be reduced by current control techniques. Furthermore, the modified control strategies inhibited PCDE formation at the beginning of combustion, and led to an 86% reduction in the maximum PCDE concentration. The overall start-up emissions were calculated as 1.01-3.08 mg, while the annual PCDE emissions with one start-up operation were found to be 7.48-9.64 mg. However, total PCDE emissions will increase by 12-69% if the number of start-up runs increases to between two and eight times per year. Consequently, the prevention of the unnecessary start-ups and advanced activation of the related emission control system are both efficient ways to reduce PCDE emissions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jing-Sing
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung 83347, Taiwan; Super Micro Mass Research and Technology Center, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung 83347, Taiwan. Electronic address: cbmsgml@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sheng-Lun
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ta-Chang
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yee-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung 83347, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lin-Chi
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Super Micro Mass Research and Technology Center, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung 83347, Taiwan; Department of Cosmetic and Fashion Styling, Kaohsiung 83347, Taiwan. Electronic address: guoping@csu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Guo-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Chang-Chien
keywords: Annual emission; Emission control; Municipal solid waste incinerator; Polychlorinated diphenyl ether; Start-up