To enable the ISC3 a quick start in its substantive work, the customers ( UBA / BMUB ) have commis-sioned the drafting of three studies. The objective of this study was to identify to identify priority top-ics, i.e. technical solutions, concepts, business models etc., in the field of Sustainable Chemistry. A desk-top research has been performed to elucidate specific challenges and recent innovations in different fields of application and industrial sectors: 1) petrochemicals and base chemicals, 2) polymers,3) agro-chemicals (pesticides), 4) fertilisers, 5) coatings, dyes, pigments and adhesives, 6) detergents, cleaning agents and personal care products, 7) chemical fibres, 8) construction chemistry , 9) pharmaceuticals, 10) nanomaterials. Other chapters depict funding programmes and awards related to sustainable chemistry in the EU and the U.S., as well as tax instruments, funding and regulatory framework condi-tions supporting sustainable chemistry in Brazil as an example of a major emerging region with strong chemical industry. Finally, two separate chapters have been dedicated to the issue of sustainability assessment, in which a more in-depth discussion on the aspect of sustainability is provided for two examples: a) construction materials for thermal insulation as an application field and b) different synthesis routes from fossil and renewable feedstock to acrylic acid. Veröffentlicht in Texte | 83/2017.
technologyComment of lubricating oil production (RER): A huge variety of different compositions are known under the name “lubricants” – actually, 5’000 to 10’000 different formulations are used to satisfy about 90% of the different lubricants applications. In terms of quantity, mineral oil components continue to be the most important ingredients. But more and more, derivatives of natural, harvestable raw materials from the oleo-chemical sector are finding their acceptance within the used substances. In 1999 around 37 Mt of lubricants have been consumed – thereof more than half in the automotive sector (56%), and another 29% as industrial lubricants. This amount is produced by around 1700 producers worldwide. Thereof, about 200 are vertically-integrated petroleum companies where lubricants are only a minor part of their profit. Nevertheless, less than 2% of all lubricant manufacturers are producing more than 60% of the total production volume. In case of the remaining 1500 companies, lubricants are their core business. In terms of the volume, base oils are the most important parts of lubricants. The rest is composed of additives. For this dataset, the additives are based on data published in Raimondi et al. (2012). imageUrlTagReplace8b52761e-ab96-49e0-a771-a229ae16ec10 The image above represents the typical yields of the different cuts from a conventional lubricating oil refining process To achieve base oils, a variety of different steps have to be done starting with the crude oil that is extracted until the right components are isolated. Different steps therefore are for example refining, distillation, de-asphalting, traditional refining process, solvent dewaxing or finishing. Additional steps that are often used are as well hydrogenation and hydrocracking operations. Based on the fact that a multitude of different processes are possible for the production of lubricants, the following choices are done for this dataset – with the aim to create a typical dataset for petrochemical lubricants – called “lubricants”: - Hydrocracking as basic technology for the extraction of the lubricant oils due to the fact that according to Bartels et al. (2003) more than 50% of the new manufacturing plants work with this principle. - Distillation and dewaxing as subsequent process steps to achieve high-quality base lubricant oils - Diesel as input due to the fact that these hydrocracker need low-sulphur oils. References: Bartels T., Bock W., Braun J., Busch C., Dresel W., Freiler C., Harperscheid M., Heckler R.-P., Hörner D., Kubicki F., Lingg G., Losch A., Luther R., Mang T., Noll S. and Omeis J. (2003) Lubricants and Lubrication. In: Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Sixth Edition, 2003 Electronic Release (ed. Häussinger P., Leitgeb P. and Schmücker B.), 6 th Electronic Release Edition. Wiley InterScience, New York, Online-Version under: http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/ueic/ull_search_fs.html. Andrea Raimondi, Giorgia Girotti, Gian Andrea Blengini and Debora Fino (2012) LCA of petroleum-based lubricants: state of art and inclusion of additives. Int J Life Cycle Assess (2012) 17:987–996.
technologyComment of phenol production (RER): This dataset models the Hock process, which is the main process that is used for the production of phenol. In this process, cumene is transformed into phenol in two stages: (i) oxidation of the cumene, and (ii) cleavage into phenol and acetone. The oxidation happens in large reactors at a temperature of about 90-120°C and 0.5-0.7 MPa pressure. The whole reaction is autocatalytic and exothermic, releasing about 800 kJ per kilogram of cumene hydroperoxide to the environment by active cooling systems, mainly water. The second reaction – the cleavage – is an acid-catalyzed reaction, using almost exclusively sulphuric acid as catalyst. Two different ways are used within industry – called homogeneous phase (using 0.1-2% sulphuric acid) rsp. heterogeneous phase (40-45% sulphuric acid at a concentrate-acid ratio of 1:5). Also this second step is strongly exothermic – releasing ca. 1680 kJ per kilogram of cumene hydroperoxide cleaved. After the cleavage, further cleaning steps are used to achieve in the end a phenol purity of >99.9%. This includes neutralization and removing of sulphuric acid, followed by distillation processes. The overall yield of the production of phenol for this case here is assumed to be in the order of 95%. The inventory is based on stoechiometric calculations. The emissions to air (0.2 wt% of raw material input) and water were estimated using mass balance. Treatment of the wastewater in an internal wastewater treatment plant is assumed (elimination efficiency of 90% for C). References: Althaus H.-J., Chudacoff M., Hischier R., Jungbluth N., Osses M. and Primas A. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals. ecoinvent report No. 8, v2.0. EMPA Dübendorf, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH. technologyComment of phenol production, from cumene (RER): This process consists first in the production of cumene from the reaction of benzene and propylene. Cumene then reacts with oxygen to give phenol and acetone. For each kilogram of phenol produced, 0.63 kg of acetone are obtained. For the process 0.6 MJ/kg of electricity and 9.1 MJ/kg of steam are required per kg of phenol and 0.2 MJ/kg of electricity and 9.8 MJ/kg of steam required per kg of acetone (Saygin 2009). Chemical reaction: C9H12 + O2 -> C6H6O + C3H6O This inventory representing production of a particular chemical compound is at least partially based on a generic model on the production of chemicals. The data generated by this model have been improved by compound-specific data when available. The model on production of chemicals is using specific industry or literature data wherever possible and more generic data on chemical production processes to fill compound-specific data gaps when necessary. The basic principles of the model have been published in literature (Hischier 2005, Establishing Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals Based on Differing Data Availability). The model has been updated and extended with newly available data from the chemical industry. In the model, unreacted fractions are treated in a waste treatment process, and emissions reported are after a waste treatment process that is included in the scope of this dataset. For volatile reactants, a small level of evaporation is assumed. Solvents and catalysts are mostly recycled in closed-loop systems within the scope of the dataset and reported flows are for losses from this system. The main source of information for the values for heat, electricity, water (process and cooling), nitrogen, chemical factory is industry data from Gendorf. The values are a 5-year average of data (2011 - 2015) published by the Gendorf factory (Gendorf, 2016, Umwelterklärung, www.gendorf.de), (Gendorf, 2015, Umwelterklärung, www.gendorf.de), (Gendorf, 2014, Umwelterklärung, www.gendorf.de). The Gendorf factory is based in Germany, it produces a wide range of chemical substances. The factory produced 1657400 tonnes of chemical substances in the year 2015 (Gendorf, 2016, Umwelterklärung, www.gendorf.de) and 740000 tonnes of intermediate products. Reference(s): Hischier, R. (2005) Establishing Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals Based on Differing Data Availability (9 pp). The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Volume 10, Issue 1, pp 59–67. 10.1065/lca2004.10.181.7 Gendorf (2016) Umwelterklärung 2015, Werk Gendorf Industriepark, www.gendorf.de Gallardo Hipolito, M. 2011. Life Cycle Assessment of platform chemicals from fossil and lignocellulosic biomass scenarios LCA of phenolic compounds, solvent, soft and hard plastic precursors. Master in Industrial Ecology. Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Energy and Process Engineering. Retrieved from: http://daim.idi.ntnu.no/masteroppgaver/006/6362/tittelside.pdf, accessed 6 January 2017 SRI consulting. In: Gallardo Hipolito, M. 2011. Life Cycle Assessment of platform chemicals from fossil and lignocellulosic biomass scenarios LCA of phenolic compounds, solvent, soft and hard plastic precursors. Master in Industrial Ecology. Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Energy and Process Engineering. Retrieved from: http://daim.idi.ntnu.no/masteroppgaver/006/6362/tittelside.pdf, accessed 6 January 2017 Gallardo Hipolito, M. 2011. Life Cycle Assessment of platform chemicals from fossil and lignocellulosic biomass scenarios LCA of phenolic compounds, solvent, soft and hard plastic precursors. Master in Industrial Ecology. Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Energy and Process Engineering. Retrieved from: http://e-archivo.uc3m.es/bitstream/handle/10016/14718/Life%20Cycle%20Assessment%20of%20platform%20chemicals%20from%20fossil%20and%20lignocelulose%20scenarios.%20Martin%20Gallardo.pdf?sequence=2, accessed 6 January 2017 Saygin, D. 2009. Chemical and Petrochemical Sector Potential of best practice technology and other measures for improving energy efficiency. IEA information paper. IEA/OECD. Retrieved from: https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/chemical_petrochemical_sector.pdf, accessed 6 January 2017 For more information on the model please refer to the dedicate ecoinvent report, access it in the Report section of ecoQuery (http://www.ecoinvent.org/login-databases.html)
technologyComment of dimethyl carbonate production (RER): Dimethyl carbonate has been historically produced through the reaction of phosgene and methanol. Because of the toxicity of phosgene, a greener route of production has been developed (Tundo and Selva 2002). Today it is mostly produced through the reaction of ethylene or propylene carbonate with methanol. This activity models the production of dimethyl carbonate as the result of the reaction of ethylene carbonate and methanol. Chemical reaction: C3H4O3 + CH3OH -> C3H6O3 + CH2O This inventory representing production of a particular chemical compound is at least partially based on a generic model on the production of chemicals. The data generated by this model have been improved by compound-specific data when available. The model on production of chemicals is using specific industry or literature data wherever possible and more generic data on chemical production processes to fill compound-specific data gaps when necessary. The basic principles of the model have been published in literature (Hischier 2005, Establishing Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals Based on Differing Data Availability). The model has been updated and extended with newly available data from the chemical industry. In the model, unreacted fractions are treated in a waste treatment process, and emissions reported are after a waste treatment process that is included in the scope of this dataset. For volatile reactants, a small level of evaporation is assumed. Solvents and catalysts are mostly recycled in closed-loop systems within the scope of the dataset and reported flows are for losses from this system. The main source of information for the values for heat, electricity, water (process and cooling), nitrogen, chemical factory is industry data from Gendorf. The values are a 5-year average of data (2011 - 2015) published by the Gendorf factory (Gendorf, 2016, Umwelterklärung, www.gendorf.de), (Gendorf, 2015, Umwelterklärung, www.gendorf.de), (Gendorf, 2014, Umwelterklärung, www.gendorf.de). The Gendorf factory is based in Germany, it produces a wide range of chemical substances. The factory produced 1657400 tonnes of chemical substances in the year 2015 (Gendorf, 2016, Umwelterklärung, www.gendorf.de) and 740000 tonnes of intermediate products. Reference(s): Hischier, R. (2005) Establishing Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals Based on Differing Data Availability (9 pp). The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Volume 10, Issue 1, pp 59–67. 10.1065/lca2004.10.181.7 Gendorf (2016) Umwelterklärung 2015, Werk Gendorf Industriepark, www.gendorf.de Tundo, P. and Selva, M. 2002. The Chemistry of Dimethyl Carbonate. Acc. Chem. Res. Vol.9, 35, pp. 706–716 For more information on the model please refer to the dedicate ecoinvent report, access it in the Report section of ecoQuery (http://www.ecoinvent.org/login-databases.html) technologyComment of oxidation of methanol (RER): Represents a current cross-section of actual plants in Europe. The inventory is based on 100% formaldehyde production. The inputs and outputs are an average of the Silver and Formox processes. Silver process: Initially, methanol is dehydrogenated and subsequently there is combustion of hydrogen overall resulting in the production of formaldehyde and water. The raction takes place with air over a crystalline silver catalyst. Formox process: Methanol is directly oxidized by air over a metal oxide catalyst at a temperature of 470 °C. excess heat is removed with an oil-transfer medium. The product gases are cooled, absorbed in water, and an aqueous 37% formaldehyde solution is obtained. (Wells, 1999) References: G. Margaret Wells, “Handbook of Petrochemicals and Processes”, 2nd edition, Ashgate, 1999 Althaus H.-J., Chudacoff M., Hischier R., Jungbluth N., Osses M. and Primas A. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 8. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
technologyComment of ethylene oxide production (RER): Ethylene is directly oxidized with air or oxygen in the presence of a catalyst to ethylene oxide (EO). About 40% of all European EO production is converted into glycols, globally the figure is about 70%. Usually, EO and MEG are produced together at integrated plants. Industrial production started in 1937 with a union Carbide process based on ethylene and air. In 1958 oxygen rather than air was instroduced by Shell Development Company, and today most processes are based on oxygen. Total European production was 3.4 million tons per year in 1997, while the US produced 5.2 million tons per year. Further production capacity of at least 1.2 million tons is reported from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Japan and South Korea giving a total of at least 9.8 million tons of ethylene oxide production worldwide. Ethylene oxide is a hydrocarbon compound made from ethylene and oxygen. Major manufacturers include Hoechst Celanese, Shell Chemical, and Union Carbide, among many others. EO is produced by passing a mixture of ethylene and oxygen over a solid silver-containing catalyst. Selectivity is improved by the addition of chlorine compounds such as chloroethane. Reaction conditions are temperatures of about 200 - 300 °C and a pressure of 10 – 30 bar. The main by-products are carbon dioxide and water, formed when ethylene is fully oxidised or some of the EO is further oxidised. Ethylene glycols are formed when the reactor gases are absorbed into chilled water. C2H4 + 1/2 O2 C2H4O (1) C2H4 O + H2O HO-C2H4-OH (2) C2H4 + 3 O2 2 CO2 + 2 H2O (3) (1) production of ethylene oxide (2) production of MEG from EO and water (3) production of carbon dioxide and water from oxidation of ethylene The carbon dioxide is removed from the scrubber by absorption with hot aqueous potassium carbonate, the resulting solution is steam stripped to remove the carbon dioxide, which is vented to air. The potassium carbonate is regenerated. The carbon dioxide can be reused for inerting, or is sold, or is vented to atmosphere. References: IPPC Chemicals, 2002. European Commission, Directorate General, Joint Research Center, “Reference Document on Best Available Techniques in the Large Volume Organic Chemical Industry”, February 2002. Wells, 1999. G. Margaret Wells, “Handbook of Petrochemicals and Processes”, 2nd edition, Ashgate, 1999
EDC is produced industrially by the chlorination of ethylene, either directly with chlorine or by using hydrogen chloride (HCl). In practice, both routes are carried out together, the HCl stems from the cracking of EDC to vinyl chloride. HCl from other processes can also be used. The major outlet is for the production of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). There are both integrated EDC / VCM plants as well as stand-alone EDC plants. In 1997, European production of EDC was 9.4 million tons, according to (IPPC Chemicals, 2002). This makes it Europe’s most produced halogenated product. Global demand is expected to grow at roughly 6% per year in the short run, while future growth depends on the global demand for PVC. Major plants with capacities greater than 600’000 tons per year are located in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, the US, Canada, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Taiwan. Available data from production sites often refer to the entire EDC/VCM chain and do not differentiate between the production lines. There is some information on stand-alone sites, however, and this data forms the basis for part of the inventory developed in this report. EDC can be produced by two routes, both involving the chlorination of ethylene. One route involves direct chlorination, the other is carried out with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and oxygen. In practice, both routes are carried out together. This study includes an average of the available literature data from both routes. EDC by direct chlorination of ethylene: C2H4 + Cl2 C2H4Cl2 Yield on ethylene 96-98% / on chlorine 98% Liquid chlorine and pure ethylene are reacted in the presence of a catalyst (ferric chloride). The chlorination reaction can be carried out at low or high temperature. In the low-temperature process takes place at 20 ºC – 70 ºC. The reaction is exothermic and heat exchangers are needed. The advantage of this process is that there are few by-products. The high-temperature process takes place at 100 ºC – 150 ºC. The heat generated is used to distill the EDC, which conserves energy. the reaction product consists of more than 99% EDC, the rest being chlorinated hydrocarbons that are removed with the light ends and then combusted or sold. EDC by direct chlorination of ethylene: C2H4 + Cl2 C2H4Cl2 Yield on ethylene 96-98% / on chlorine 98% Liquid chlorine and pure ethylene are reacted in the presence of a catalyst (ferric chloride). The chlorination reaction can be carried out at low or high temperature. In the low-temperature process takes place at 20 ºC – 70 ºC. The reaction is exothermic and heat exchangers are needed. The advantage of this process is that there are few by-products. The high-temperature process takes place at 100 ºC – 150 ºC. The heat generated is used to distill the EDC, which conserves energy. Tthe reaction product consists of more than 99% EDC, the rest being chlorinated hydrocarbons that are removed with the light ends and then combusted or sold. EDC by chlorination and oxychlorination: C2H4 + Cl2 C2H4Cl2 (1) C2H4 + 1/2 O2 + 2HCl C2H4Cl2 + H2O (2) Yield on ethylene 93-97% / on HCl 96-99% Pure ethylene and hydrogen chloride are heated and mixed with oxygen. The reaction occurs at 200 ºC – 300 ºC at 4-6 bar in the presence of a catalyst (cupric chloride). After reaction the gases are quenched with water. The acid and water are removed, the gases are cooled and the organic layer is washed and dried. If air is used instead of oxygen, the reaction is easier to control. However, oxygen-based processes operate at lower temperatures, reducing vent gas volume. By-products are ethyl chloride, 1,1,2-trichloromethane and chloral (trichloroacetaldehyde). Thermal cracking of EDC: Thermal cracking of dry, pure EDC produces VCM and HCl. Often all the HCl generated in the cracking section is reused in producing EDC by oxychlorination. Plants that exhibit this characteristic and also do not export EDC are called “balanced”. The balanced process is the common process used as a Best Available Technology benchmark. C2H4 + Cl2 C2H4Cl2 (Chlorination of ethylene to EDC) C2H4Cl CH2CHCl + HCl (Cracking of EDC to form VCM) C2H4 + 1/2 O2 + 2HCl C2H4Cl2 + H2O (Oxychlorination route to EDC) Reference: IPPC Chemicals, 2002 European Commission, Directorate General, Joint Research Center, “Reference Document on Best Available Techniques in the Large Volume Organic Chemical Industry”, February 2002 Wells, 1999 G. Margaret Wells, “Handbook of Petrochemicals and Processes”, 2nd edition, Ashgate, 1999
Um dem ISC3 einen schnellen Einstieg in die fachliche Arbeit zu ermöglichen, haben die Auftraggeber (UBA/BMUB) die Erstellung dreier Studien beauftragt. Ziel dieser Studie war die Identifizierung prioritärer Themen, d.h. technischer Lösungen, Konzepte, Geschäftsmodelle etc. im Bereich der nachhaltigen Chemie. Eine Literaturrecherche wurde durchgeführt, die spezifische Herausforderungen und jüngste Innovationen in verschiedenen Anwendungsfeldern und Sektoren beleuchten: 1) Petro- und Basischemie, 2) Polymere, 3) Agrochemikalien (Pflanzenschutz), 4) Düngemittel, 5) Farbstoffe, Lacke, Pigmente und Klebstoffe, 6) Wasch-, Reinigungs- und Körperpflegemittel, 7) Chemiefasern, 8)Bauchemie, 9) Pharmazeutika und 10) Nanomaterialien. Weitere Kapitel beschreiben Förderprogramme und Auszeichnun-gen im Bereich der nachhaltigen Chemie in Europa und den USA, sowie Steuerinstrumente, Förder- und regulatorische Rahmenbedingungen am Beispiel Brasilien als Schwellenland. Zum Schluss wurden zwei Kapitel der Thematik der Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung gewidmet, in diesen werden Aspekte der Nachhaltigkeit anhand von zwei Beispielen diskutiert: a) Baumaterialien zur Wärmedämmung als Anwendungs-bereich und b) verschiedene Syntheserouten auf Basis fossiler und nachwachsender Rohstoffe zu Acrylsäure. Quelle: Foschungsbericht
Das Projekt "Chemisch-technische Nutzung pflanzlicher Oele" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. durchgeführt. Objective: Vegetable oils are among the most prominent biological raw materials for non food uses at the moment: The world production of natural fats and oils amounts to 96 million tons. Around 12 million tons are used in different non-food applications, such as surfactants, lubricants, paints, coatings or biofuels. In Western Europe, official and industrial sources estimate that between 1,7 and 2,7 million tons of natural fats and oils are used in the chemical-technical sector. The European Union is one of the main oilseed producers and crushers in the world. Non-food production on set-aside land amounted to 650.000 ha oilseeds in 1996. The European Commission and several Member States have realized the importance of this sector and support research and development activities in the whole production and processing chain of vegetable oils. However, European vegetable oils have only a minor share of the current industrial utilisation To find new market outlets for these oils in existing and new applications, requires a better co-ordination of research efforts and more exchange of information on a European level. This project has the following objectives: 1. Linkage of R&D activities on national and EU level related to the production and utilisation of vegetable oils in the chemical-technical sector. 2. Identification of industrial needs in this sector, in an effort to increase the utilisation of European vegetable oils in established and new applications. 3. Determination of ecological benefits of vegetable oil based products, in relation to petrochemical products. 4. Definition of future research needs in the field of chemical-technical utilisation of vegetable oils. The major means to achieve the objectives will be sectoral workshops, including experts from all European countries, as well as coordinators from relevant EU and nationally funded projects. The following sector groups, consisting of experts from universities, research institutes and industry, are envisaged: - New applications for vegetable oils (e.g. Plastics). - Valorisation of by-products, especially glycerol. - Genetic engineering, biotechnology and industrial oilseed crops. Results of these workshops will be published as working papers. In addition, the project will be promoted on Internet and linked with other EU funded networks, such as NF-2000 and IENICA.
Das Projekt "Teilvorhaben A" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Cluster Industrielle Biotechnologie 2021 e.V. durchgeführt. Carbon monoxide (CO)-containing process gases, abundant in the BIG-Cluster region of Flanders, The Netherlands and North-Rhine Westphalia through numerous industrial sites, can be valuable feedstock streams for the biotechnical production of building blocks that are currently produced via petrochemical process routes. Mid-chain carbon compounds with multifunctional groups are of special industrial interest. Since they are conventionally generated from fossil resources, routes using renewable non-food feedstocks to provide such precursors would be a major step to establish a sustainable economy. Therefore, BioCOnversion aims at developing and implementing a sustainable process from CO to a defined polymer precursor by evaluating different technologies. An international consortium of industrial and academic partners join their high-level, multidisciplinary expertise to develop a process comprising the primary conversion of CO/syngas into an intermediate through gas fermentation and its enzymatic upgrading conversion to the defined plastic precursor. BioCOnversion supports the BIG-Cluster efforts to transform the trinational region of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Netherlands and the Belgian region of Flanders into a world-leader of circular economy.
Das Projekt "Utilization of industrial waste and especially petrochemical residues for power generation with low emissions" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Mineralöl-Raffinerie Dollbergen GmbH durchgeführt. Objective: The purpose of the project is to demonstrate a low-emission combustion unit to burn petrochemical wastes, such as distillation bottoms, light boiling petrol residues, heavy oil fractions, acid tars and PCB-containing waste oil. General Information: The concept is based on a proprietary combustion system combined with a two step, dry flue gas treatment system and an existing boiler. The combustor is composed of a high swirl, substoichiometric combustion chamber, followed by an after combustion chamber, to which secondary air is added ensuring a residence time of 0.3 s. and 1200 deg. C. The particular geometry, together with the flow pattern lead to a complete combustion, with low formation levels of NOx, CO and dioxins. The flue gas is desulphurized by injection of crushed limestone, together with recirculated flue gas to reduce the temperature to a level of 1100 - 1150 deg. C. After heat recovery, lime powder and steam are added for HCI removal. Finally, the flue gas is cleaned using bag filters. Achievements: The plant started full operation on September 1988. The burner capacity was varied between 120-450 kg oil/h while for all tests the combustion air supplied was 125. The operating temperature of the furnace was in the range of 1150-1250 deg. C and this was controlled by recycling of flue gases. The flue gases purification system was modified considerably and it was concluded that hot gas desulphurization was not needed while for HCl removal a combination of limestone and steam injection in the dechlorination reactor proved efficient and resolved all operational problems of solids, (CaCl2) accumulation. No problem was encountered with the bag filter. Emission measurements for dust, CO, SO2, HCl and total carbon are performed continuously while emission measurements for inorganic halogen compounds (HF, phosgen), BTEX-aromatics, chlorinated hydrocarbons, PCB and PCDD are performed periodically. The table below summarizes some of the results obtained. It was also formal that no significant amounts of phosgene BTEX-aromatics, chlorinated hydrocarbons and polychlorinated Biphenyles are emitted by the installation and these were always well below the limits set by TA Luft. However the emissions of dioxines and furnaces were always close to the limits specified by TA Luft and although the limits were rarely exceeded the contractor plans to continue development work in this area. Nevertheless, it can be concluded that from the emissions point of view, the furnace chamber system with swirl has proved to burn waste oils successfully. During the demonstration period which ended on 31.12.1989, the demonstration plant fulfilled almost 80 per cent of the planned capacity of waste oils combustion and about 50 per cent of the targeted energy savings. The reduced capacity was due to technical optimation at the flue gas purification system while the reduced energy savings were due to the utilization of an existing old type radiation boiler instead..