At the heart of PCI's fuel blending service is a newly installed, automated drum processing tower
At the heart of PCI's fuel blending service is a newly installed, automated drum processing tower. This fifty-one foot, two stage shredding and processing tower has been custom designed specifically for PCI. The entire operation is computer controlled and fully enclosed, thus ensuring a safe and efficient process. This system, designed and manufactured by SSI Shredding Systems, Inc., incorporates two, slow speed, rotary shear type shredders which puncture and shear the containers of waste into small pieces. The design of the shredders is such that the potential for heat build up is minimized and constantly monitored. In addition, a nitrogen purging system further assures that there is little potential for ignition. The wastes, once contained in the metal drums, are then processed in one of two ways. Solids wastes such as rags, filters, protective clothing, resins and other debris are reduced to a fine particle size in the SSI shredders. They are then repackaged into roll-offs or dump trailers for off site recycling. Liquid wastes may include solvents, inks, paints, chlorinated compounds and "household" items with high BTU content. Once these drums have been shredded, liquids, sludges and semi-solids are fed first into a 2500 gallon "Hydropulper" and then into a high speed "Dispersion Tank," where the resulting material is broken down, particle sized and dispersed with bulk liquid bearing wastes. The resulting liquid and solid fuel products are then transferred to approved RCRA/BIF permitted cement kilns where they will be reused as fuels for energy recovery.
FUEL BLENDING
The primary activity at the PCI facility is the processing and bulking of high BTU waste streams for use as an alternative fuel at cement kilns. This process, known as Fuel Blending," allows PCI to create a useful product from what was previously useless waste. Before materials can be processed, PCI's in house laboratory samples each waste stream, analyzing them to determine BTU content, chemical make up and method of treatment and disposal. Once a waste stream has been accepted, it is entered into PCI's computerized inventory system. This bar coded system allows PCI to carefully and continuously track waste streams throughout the entire treatment, storage and disposal process.
Pollution Control Industries (PCI), 4343 Kennedy Avenue, East Chicago, IN 46312. Tel: 219-397-3951; Fax: 219-397-6511.
