Eleanor Binner

Investigation of Trichloroethene Abatement for the Degreasing Industry Eleanor Binner

Chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents are required in many industrial cleaning processes, and their emission is regulated. With so many options available, it can be difficult to determine the best environmental and economic solutions. This book investigates the management of vapour emissions of a popular degreasing agent, TCE. The reader will gain an in depth understanding of the industrial context, including problems faced by industry, health and environmental impacts of degreasers, regulatory approaches and available technologies. The primary focus of the work is an investigation of a novel technology, microwave plasma treatment, and a comparison of its performance and robustness with conventional combustion. Finally, a simple method to assess and compare the overall environmental impact of various environmental management strategies is presented. This powerful screening tool enables revision of environmental priorities as legislation changes. Potential readers include those interested in degreasing, chlorinated solvents, plasma abatement technologies or environmental screening tools.