The Sumner County Mass Burning Experience

The fust reactic n to a paper that reports the necessity for complete replacement of air pollution control and ash removal equipment is likely to be "What a disaster". But the matter must be put in proper perspective. By compari­ son with Nashville and other operating plants which have required replacement of major components early on, Gal­ latin doesn't look so bad. Consider fiascos such as those at Baltimore, Bridgeport, Disney World, Hempstead, Milwau­ kee and San Diego and you realize that Gallatin's problems are relatively minor by comparison. Take into account the facts that the Gallatin plant is com busting refuse and producing energy as intended, that its combustion and air pollution control systems were the first applications of these technologies to municipal solid waste processing in this country, that there is no reported evidence of erosion or corrosion in the combustors or tube wastage in the boilers, that steam production appears to have achieved Harold Meissner's famous prediction of 3 lb of steam per pound of municipal refuse burned, that the problems are recognized and correctable and that, despite those prob­ lems, the plant has operated more than 70% of the time; then it is evident that this paper is reporting a basically successful plant that has had growing pains as have all other refuse to energy plants to date. The author is to be commended for reporting the problems and the means of overcoming them both in Gallatin and by design improve­ ments for the future, as well as the successful features of