TOTAL ORGANIC-CARBON IN FLY-ASH FROM MSW INCINERATORS AS A POTENTIAL COMBUSTION INDICATOR - SETTING UP OF THE MEASUREMENT METHODOLOGY AND PRELIMINARY EVALUATION

Good incineration plant management requires total combustion of organi c materials as well as immobilization of inorganic ones. Ideally, on-l ine monitoring of proper parameters is needed. Accordingly, a new quic k methodology is proposed to measure total organic carbon (TOC) in com bustion plant fly ash directly on the solid matrix. The method has pro ved to be reliable because the results give good reproducibility and a ccuracy. Moreover, the analysis requires very little time, thus satisf ying the basic prerequisite for the use of this parameter as a nearly on-line indicator. The preliminary evaluation of its applicability is positive. A significant time-variability in the TOC content of fly ash collected from the first boiler hoppers is observed. The spatial dist ribution of TOC values and its relationship with the particle size dis tribution highlight a number of interesting points with respect to fly ash management and regulatory aspects. (C) 1997 ISWA.