EPA site demonstration of the Sonotech frequency-tunable pulse combustion system

Sonotech, Inc. (Sonotech), of Atlanta, Georgia, has developed a pulse combustion burner technology that claims to offer benefits when applied in a variety of combustion processes. The burner system incorporates a pulse combustor that can be tuned to excite large-amplitude sonic pulsations inside a conventional combustion chamber, such as a boiler or incinerator. Sonotech claims that large-amplitude resonant pulsations excited by a table pulse combustor will significantly improve an incinerator`s performance by increasing the rates of beat release, mixing, and mass transfer within the incinerator. The Sonotech SITE demonstration developed test data to evaluate whether this technology results in decreased carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}), and soot emissions; increased destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of principle organic hazardous constituents (POHC); decreased combustion air and fuel requirements; and increased incineration capacity when compared to conventional, nonpulsed combustion. The tests were conducted in summer and fall 1994 using the rotary kiln incineration systems at the EPA Incineration Research Facility in Jefferson, Arkansas.