Where applicable, incineration is the preferred method for waste disposal of chemical wastes, hazardous wastes, medical wastes and industrial waste
streams. These waste streams contain chlorinated organics, fluorocarbons, brominated compounds, sulfur containing compounds and nitrogen containing
compounds. When oxidized at high temperatures, these produce hydrogen halides, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and a variety of acidic gases and corrosive
particulate matter which can make materials selection extremely difficult. The incineration systems are almost always refractory-lined, but because these
incinerators often cycle in temperature, the containment shell for the refractory can be subjected to acidic condensate which can cause serious corrosion
damage. When the incinerators exhaust to waste heat recovery systems or air pollution control systems, the exhaust gas stream is cooled to the point that
corrosive conditions become extremely severe. Acid dew points can be reached and highly corrosive aqueous condensates can form. The combination of high
temperatures and highly corrosive environments make materials selection an extremely difficult matter. Aside from thermal and mass flow capabilities of the
incinerators, material selection becomes the most critical design exercise for these systems.
Key Words: incineration, wet scrubbers, dry scrubbers, chlorinated organics, fluorinated organics, high temperatures, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen
chloride, hydrogen fluoride, chlorine, bromine, air pollution control, waste disposal.