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WTE: Thermal Plasma Processes

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Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology

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Glossary

Arc plasma:

a gas that is heated electrically to temperatures up to 20,000 K by means of an arc struck between two electrodes

Arc plasma torch:

device used to generate a thermal plasma

Efficiency of energy generation:

ratio of net electrical energy generated to chemical heat input, per ton of MSW processed

MSW:

municipal solid waste, mixed waste that is collected by a given collection system

Non-transferred arc plasma torch:

the two electrodes are located within a water-cooled plasma torch

Torch thermal efficiency:

ratio of enthalpy input to the plasma-forming gas to electrical energy input to the plasma torch

Transferred arc:

the material to be processed serves as an electrode

Vitrification:

also called glassification, converting WTE ash to a glassy substance by melting at high temperatures

WTE:

acronym for waste to energy, i.e., thermal treatment of solid wastes to recover their chemical energy content

Definition of the Subject and Its Importance

The thermal plasma...

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Bibliography

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Columbia University, Earth and Environmental Engineering, New York, NY, 10027, USA

    Nickolas J. Themelis

  2. Laboratoire Sciences des Procédés Céramiques et de Traitements de Surface, University of Limoges, 12 rue d’Atlantis, 87000, Limoges, France

    Armelle M. Vardelle

Authors
  1. Nickolas J. Themelis
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  2. Armelle M. Vardelle
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nickolas J. Themelis .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ramtech Ltd., Larkspur, California, USA

    Robert A. Meyers

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Themelis, N.J., Vardelle, A.M. (2017). WTE: Thermal Plasma Processes. In: Meyers, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2493-6_407-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2493-6_407-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2493-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2493-6

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