No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

An extensive series of experimental tests were carried out at the Sheffield municipal solid waste incinerator plant (30 MW) from September 1988 to July 1989 to investigate the influence of the design and operating parameters on the performance of the incinerator which burns domestic and commercial wastes (500 ton/day). The following measurements were made around the plant: temperature measurements, pressure measurements, flue gas composition analysis and determination of physical and chemical properties of Sheffield refuse. Several other miscellaneous measurements were also made to monitor the effect of variation of operating parameters on the performance characteristics of the incinerator. A combustion model of Essenhigh type was then employed to model the combustion processes inside the solid refuse bed on top of the travelling grate. In addition a mathematical model of the finite difference type (FLUENT) was used to predict the three dimensional reacting flows (gaseous phase) within the incinerator geometry. Experimental measurements of gas composition, temperature and exit velocity were compared with model predictions. Modelling results were generally in good agreement with measurements. As a result of the test data and the mathematical modelling of the whole process, suggestions for design improvements for the Sheffield municipal solid waste incinerator were made which will substantially increase the efficiency, reduce emissions of pollutants and reduce the maintenance costs at the plant. These are: a) replacing the existing secondary air system with secondary air nozzles and the use of more secondary air (up to 20 % of total air) in order to generate turbulence in the high intensity combustion zone where it is most needed and b) introducing a baffle into the main stream inside the radiation shaft in order to lower the gas temperatures entering the precipitator and to remove the existing recirculation zone in the shaft.

The response of the lux-biosensors to a range of environmental pollutants was determined, as well as the stability of the biosensors to a range of environmental parameters. The biosensors were found sensitive to a range of pollutants at environmentally relevant concentrations. These included the pollutants prevailing at the contaminated site (BTEX and major co-contaminants). Analysing the bioluminescence dose-response curves to different pollutants, it was observed that the shape of the response appeared to be indicative of the nature of the contaminant present. The application of the lux-biosensors in the screening of groundwater and sediment samples from the contaminated site, showed different levels of toxicity which correlated well with chemical analysis. The sample screening produced a toxicity map of the site, facilitating the identification of hot-spot areas that could be further investigated. Samples with high levels of toxicity were serial diluted and dose-response curves determined to increasing concentrations of the toxic sample, in site uncontaminated groundwater. The shape of the dose-response curve was indicative of the nature of the main pollutant present. The toxic effect of a pollutant detected by the biosensors in spiked environmental samples (groundwater from the study site) correlated with the effect of the same pollutant on mineralisation. This allowed subsequent use of biosensor toxicity for predictive assessment of degradation potential in the presence of the pollutant tested, validating the use of the lux bioassay as a management tool for bioremediation. The bioremediation of the major contaminants (BTEX) on site can be constrained by the presence of co-contaminants or adverse environmental conditions that inhibit microbial activity. The determination of these constraints is crucial for the success of the bioremediation technologies. Using biosensor response linked to sample manipulations, it was possible to determine the contribution of broad classes of pollutants to the total toxicity of the samples.