Combustion and inorganic bromine emission of waste printed circuit boards in a high temperature furnace

High temperature combustion experiments of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) were conducted using a lab-scale system featuring a continuously-fed drop tube furnace. Combustion efficiency and the occurrence of inorganic bromine (HBr and Br-2) were systematically studied by monitoring the main combustion products continuously. The influence of furnace temperature (T) was studied from 800 to 1400 degrees C, the excess air factor (EAF) was varied from 1.2 to 1.9 and the residence time in the high temperature zone (RTHT) was set at 0.25, 0.5, or 0.75 s. Combustion efficiency depends on temperature, EAF and RTHT; temperature has the most significant effect. Conversion of organic bromine from flame retardants into HBr and Br-2 depends on temperature and EAF. Temperature has crucial influence over the ratio of HBr to Br-2, whereas oxygen partial pressure plays a minor role. The two forms of inorganic bromine seem substantially to reach thermodynamic equilibrium within 0.25 s. High temperature is required to improve the combustion performance: at 1200 degrees C or higher, an EAF of 1.3 or more, and a RTHT exceeding 0.75 s, combustion is quite complete, the CO concentration in flue gas and remained carbon in ash are sufficiently low, and organobrominated compounds are successfully decomposed (more than 99.9%). According to these results, incineration of waste PCBs without preliminary separation and without additives would perform very well under certain conditions; the potential precursors for brominated dioxins formation could be destroyed efficiently. Increasing temperature could decrease the volume percentage ratio of Br-2/HBr in flue gas greatly. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.