The main focus of our customer base has centered on the need to dispose of waste in the most cost-effective and environmentally sound way.  However, given the high operating temperatures of the incinerator it would seem obvious that the heat could be captured and re-used, thereby increasing the positive benefits of investing in this equipment. 

On the small scale this can be challenging.  Even with the high cost of fossil fuels, and potential incentives to explore alternative energy sources, the capital investment in heat capture technologies can have a lengthy ROI.  Additionally, heat capture technologies can change the chemistry of the incinerator emissions which must be addressed by adding additional air pollution control.  However, heat recovery opportunities do exist even on the smallest of packages.  These are often downstream of the incinerator itself.  One example is by adding a simple hot water heat exchanger on the wet scrubber recycle loop. 

Things become more intriguing on the larger continuous feed systems.  The continuous operation ensures that heat is available on a 24 hour basis.  Moreover the heat output is stable and constant.  These conditions improve the economics for generating valuable by-products such as high quality steam.  This steam can be used on-site for process inputs, used to drive turbines and generate electricity or sold to nearby industrial customers.