Grantee Research Project Results
Activated-Carbon Production from Creosote-Treated Waste Wood
EPA Contract Number: 68D50086Title: Activated-Carbon Production from Creosote-Treated Waste Wood
Investigators: Ben-Reuven, Moshe
Small Business: Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 1995 through March 1, 1996
Project Amount: $64,931
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (1996) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , SBIR - Waste , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
A method is proposed to convert creosote-treated waste wood into high-grade granular activated carbon, with surface area of 900-1800 m2/gram. Creosote, widely used to protect wood, is a hazardous substance, ID# NA9189. Creosote treated waste wood consists of utility poles, pier posts, and railroad ties. In New Jersey about 50,000 ton/year are collected, while over the entire USA, an estimated 1.5 M tons/year are collected. There is no current solution for neutralization or utilization of this hazardous waste. Controlled temperature and heating rates (both relatively low ) are used in a fluid-bed pyrolysis unit. The pyrolysis process endeavors to maximize the car-producing and tar-to-car producing chemical routes, as well as creosote-to-char within the solid particle matrix. A gas combustor is coupled with the pyrolysis unit, using the off gas generated by the retort. The combustion product gas, with reduced temperature, serves to fluidize the retort. Overall low temperatures ensure low NOx emissions. The process is energetically self-sufficient. The objective of Phase I work is to demonstrate feasibility in a small 10 kg/hr laboratory scale unit.Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, engineering, chemistry., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Environmental Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Hazardous Waste, Chemistry and Materials Science, Hazardous, Environmental Engineering, hazardous substance disposal, hazardous waste disposal, hazardous waste treatment, pier posts, railroad ties, advanced treatment technologies, fluidized bed pyrolysis unit, activated carbon, granular activated carbon, gas combustion, utility poles, waste wood, carbon production, creosote-treated waste wood, disposalProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.