Plasma тechnology and equipment for medical waste processing

Abstract

In the technology of processing medical waste, including waste generated during a pandemic, the main generally accepted methods are thermal, using fuel or plasma furnaces, for combustion in an oxygen-containing environment or for pyrolysis in a reducing atmosphere to produce synthesis gas (H₂ and CO) that can be further used for the chemical industry or as a fuel. Moreover, direct combustion or pyrolysis of the initial solid waste, which ensures the gasification of its organic components, is usually only the first stage of the general technological process. In general, it consists of three stages. At the second stage, the gas products of the first stage are brought to a predetermined composition, at the third stage, the inorganic residue is neutralized - ash, the formation of which is up to 20% of unsorted medical waste. A promising option for the technology under consideration is the use of electric arc plasma installations. Compared to non-plasma furnaces, even those using intensive gas-dynamic operating modes, a number of significant advantages are achieved: a decrease in the volume of the furnace (while maintaining the productivity of raw materials) and a decrease in the volume of exhaust gases by about an order of magnitude with an increase in temperature in the reaction zone of the furnace to 2000–2300 °C.