Plasma Arc Waste Destruction System
Through its capacity for innovation, PyroGenesis, with the support of the US NAVY, has developed the Plasma Arc Waste Destruction System (PAWDS) and has successfully demonstrated its performance on board Carnival Cruise Lines. Selected by both the US Navy and Carnival Cruise Lines as the best alternative to shipboard incineration, its compact size, light weight, excellent environmental performance and ease of operation are among the many advantages that this technology offers. The PAWDS design is scalable, has the option of energy recovery, with system capacities ranging from 0.1 to 15 TPD (equivalent to a 200 KW to 3000 KW capacity incinerator).
After many years of development with the US Navy, PyroGenesis’ PAWDS, was successfully installed on board a Carnival Cruise Line ship. The system, having the same capacity as a multi-deck incinerator, occupies a surface of only 64 square meters and fits on one single deck, making it ideal for retrofits and new-builds alike. The modular and light weight design of PAWDS allows it to be installed without the need for dry-dock and without the requirement of reinforcement normally required by incinerators.
PAWDS is highly flexible, being capable of treating a variety of waste generated on board, including paper, cardboard, food, food contaminated waste, plastics, textiles, wood, cabin waste, bio-sludge and sludge oil. The efficient destruction of all of these types of waste eliminates the need for the costly off-loading of waste in port, thereby allowing ships to be one step closer to the ultimate goal of “zero-discharge”.
With the US Navy requirements in mind, the PAWDS was designed to meet the following stringent criteria:
- Small system size and weight
- Ability to eliminate all combustible waste with minimal pre-treatment or segregation
- Quick start-up and shutdown (i.e. less than 10 minutes)
- Minimal labor requirements and high reliability
- Safe operation even under extreme weather conditions
- Compliance with existing and anticipated environmental regulations
- No visible plume
The key element of PyroGenesis’ technology is the patented plasma eductor used to gasify the waste. The eductor is an excellent mixing nozzle and when combined with the extreme temperatures of plasma it creates ideal reaction conditions. To exploit this efficient reactor geometry, Pyrogenesis’ patented concept of rendering the waste into a highly efficient fuel by converting it into “lint”, similar in shape to the lint formed by a household dryer. This highly reactive material allows for the design of a very compact thermal system. In addition, the PAWDS has an off gas cleaning system which uses a direct water quench and therefore is an order of magnitude smaller than a typical incinerator flue gas treatment system. The final product is an inert, sand-like ash which can either be off-loaded in port or disposed of at sea.