Shirco Infrared Incineration System

This document is an evaluation of the Shirco infrared thermal destruction technology and its applicability as an onsite treatment method for waste site cleanup. A demonstration was conducted at the Peak Oil Superfund site in Brandon, FL in Aug. 1987 during a removal action employing a commercial-scale transportable unit. A second demonstration was conducted at the Demode Road Superfund site in Rose Township, MI in Nov. 1987 using the pilot-scale unit. Operational data and sampling and analysis information were carefully monitored and controlled to establish a database against which other available data and the vendor’s claims for the technology could be compared and evaluated. Conclusions were reached concerning the technology’s suitability for use in cleanup of the types of materials found at the test site, and extrapolations were made to cleanups of other materials. Other operations using the Shirco technology range from pilot-scale tests to obtain TSCA permits and evaluate technology effectiveness to commercial incineration of thousands of tons of PCBcontaminated soil. The conclusions drawn from the test results and other available data are that: (1) the commercial unit is a viable transportable thermal-system consisting of 5 main component trailers and other auxiliary facilities; (2) the unit operation is sensitive to the physical and chemical characteristics of the waste feed and requires a relatively dry soil-like material with a particle sized between 5 micron and 2 in.; (3) the process can thermally decontaminate feed and destroy organic contaminants and, in general, meet applicable incineration performance standards; (4) the process cannot reduce the mobility of heavy metals, thus requiring further furnace ash processing, if applicable; and (5) the unit is an attractive economical alternative to other established transportable thermaltreatment systems and technologies.