Plasma-assisted combustion system for incineration of oil slimes

This paper deals with the experiments on methane oxidation in a torch flame that is sustained in a combustion chamber by a low-current nonsteady-state plasmatron. The regimes of operation for such a system in a wide range of air-methane mixtures are analyzed. With the results of experiments, a torch flame generator with a heat power density per unit area at the exit of combustion chamber of about 1 kW/cm² is developed. The generator represents an independent unit that can be used in different applications. As an example of application, a usage of the generator in an installation for incineration of oil slimes is described. The flame with a total heat power at a level of 10 kW is directed to a furnace where it assists the burning process of an atomized water-slime composition. Typical content of water in the composition is from 40% to 50% and total expenditure of the composition in continuous mode of operation is from 400 to 600 L/h. The productivity of the installation with respect to slime incineration amounts to 0.25 m³/h.