Glass-ceramics from plasma treated air pollution control (APC) residues

Autores: Rano, A.|Roether, J.A.|Gómez, E.|Deegan, D.E.|Cheeseman, C.R.|Boccaccini, A.R.
Fuente: Glass Technol.
50 (1), 57-61
2009

Air pollution control (APC) residues from a UK energy from waste plant were blended with alumina and silica, and melted using DC plasma arc technology to produce a glass. Results from the compliance leaching test BS EN 12457-4 demonstrated that the APC residue derived glass released only trace levels of metals, e.g. Pb (0·011 mg/kg), Zn (0·009 mg/kg) and Cl- (0·2 mg/kg). These are significantly below the waste acceptance criteria (WAC) limit values for the disposal of waste to inert landfill. A powder processing method was used to convert the APC residues derived glass to a glass-ceramic during which the crystallisation behaviour and microstructural features were studied. Our results have shown that plasma treatment of APC residues produces an inert glass that has potential applications as a bulk material in civil engineering applications, or as a higher value glass-ceramic product after a crystallisation heat treatment