The COVID-19 pandemic continues to push into unprecedented territory, overwhelming existing infrastructure in many sectors. As the virus continues to sweep both the nation and the globe, the healthcare system (along with medical research facilities) is generating massive amounts of additional waste associated with the virus.
Cities in China have struggled to keep up with the volume; at the height of the crisis, they were seeing six times as much waste on a daily basis.¹ Many fear the US (among other countries) is about to meet the same fate, imploring preparedness on medical waste treatment and disposal.
As such, waste management companies are preparing to meet the increasing demand for medical waste incineration, and FEECO is preparing to expedite orders to assist in this effort.
About Medical Waste Incineration
Incineration is widely used throughout many industries to treat various types of hazardous waste. In fact, before panic over the virus set in, industry experts were predicting a rise in market demand for incineration already.
The healthcare industry has long relied on incineration as a means of decontaminating medical waste so that it can be landfilled. Through incineration, medical wastes are rendered non-toxic, eliminating the potential for infectious spread of any potential contaminants. The incineration process also reduces the volume of the waste, turning into a char, which improves disposal.
COVID-19-contaminated wastes are considered a Category B infectious substance, requiring quick and thorough destruction to prevent the potential for further spread of the virus.
Medical Waste Incineration Systems
Depending on the scale of an operation, there are two primary types of medical waste incinerators (MWIs):
- The Rotary Kiln
- The Fixed-Hearth Incinerator
Rotary Kiln Systems for Medical Waste Incineration
The rotary kiln is chosen for high-capacity facilities. This type of equipment is typically used in centralized operations continuously processing waste 24 hours per day at a capacity of 1,000 – 3,000 lb/hr.
In addition to its high throughput, the rotary kiln is also chosen for its flexibility; it can accept a wide range of medical (and other) waste, allowing producers to rely on a single device.
In the incineration world, rotary kilns are considered an excess air incinerator, meaning that the processing environment contains more air than is necessary to combust the material, ensuring complete combustion of volatile components.
A secondary combustion chamber follows the kiln to make sure that all gases are heated to a minimum of 1800° F for two seconds to eliminate any potential remaining organics.
Rotary Kiln Incinerator Specs
Rotary kilns for medical waste incineration are typically designed with the following configuration:
- Direct-fired (material waste and products of combustion are in direct contact)
- Between 4′ and 10′ in diameter and 20′ and 40′ length
- Co-current airflow (medical waste and products of combustion flow in the same direction)
- Refractory lining
- Secondary Combustion Chamber, Waste Heat Boiler and Air Pollution Control System
Fixed-Hearth Furnace Systems for Medical Waste Incineration
The fixed-hearth furnace is a smaller-capacity device, chosen for operations running a maximum of ten hours per day and processing anywhere from 100 – 2,000 lb/hr. In contrast to the rotary kiln, the fixed-hearth furnace is a type of controlled-air incinerator, also known as starved air incineration. Like the rotary kiln system, it is a two stage combustion process.
This type of incinerator utilizes a pyrolysis or starved air process: the primary chamber, in which the waste material is partially combusted in a low-oxygen atmosphere, and the secondary chamber (afterburner), in which the combustion gases generated during initial volatilization in the first chamber are further combusted in an excess-air environment (as with the rotary kiln).
With both types of equipment, the medical waste is decontaminated and reduced to a char and gases. The char is landfilled, while the gases are treated in an emissions control system prior to discharge into the atmosphere.
Fixed-Hearth Incinerator Specs
Fixed-hearth incinerators intended for medical waste are typically designed with the following configuration:
- Batch and Continuous Ram Feeder Arrangements
- Standard Models for hourly processing rates between 100 and 2000 pounds/hour
- Natural gas burners
- Fully integrated Air pollution control systems
Preparing for COVID-19 Incineration Demand
As communities double down to contain the spread of COVID-19, the critical nature of fast and proper combustion of the many wastes associated with treating the virus cannot be understated.
FEECO is capable of building both rotary kilns and fixed-hearth incinerators. In an effort to meet the increasing demand brought on by the Coronavirus, FEECO is preparing operations at our headquarters in Green Bay, WI to expedite the production of medical waste incinerators.
Through standardized models and priority manufacturing, FEECO is facilitating accelerated incinerator production to meet this demand, while maintaining the same level of quality that FEECO equipment is known for.
About FEECO Medical Waste Incinerators
With hundreds of installations throughout our history, FEECO has an extensive background in medical waste incineration. Our incineration systems are built for reliability and longevity, but also to meet the unique demands of the specific application. With either the rotary kiln or the fixed-hearth incinerator, there are three key factors in an effective medical waste incineration system:
- The material exiting the process must be rendered non-infectious.
- The system meets regulatory requirements.
- Emissions are properly controlled in accordance with federal and local regulation.
Meeting these factors requires expertise in thermal processing and in particular, the incineration of medical waste. FEECO’s experience in this arena provides a critical advantage.
FEECO incineration systems can be provided with all desired ancillary components, including:
- Waste feeding
- Emissions control system
- Controls
- Material handling equipment
- Heat recovery system
Conclusion
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to overwhelm communities and the healthcare system, FEECO is committed to assisting in slowing the spread through effective and efficient incineration of medical waste.
We stand at the ready to assist medical waste incineration facilities to meet capacity with our rotary kilns and fixed-hearth incinerators. We also offer an extensive line of parts and service support to inspect, repair, and maintain incineration systems. For more information on our incinerators, contact us today!