There are many aspects to achieving good incinerator manufacturing and performance. It is not enough if the incinerator alone is designed properly. There are a few apparently small things that need to be addressed without any compromise on costs.

1.      “The keys or anchors”: Most incinerator manufacturers, in trying to cut costs, use mild steel keys or anchors. This tiny component which holds the refractory to the body is a very important one. When the incinerator`s inside temperature is at 850° to 1100°C , the ‘key’ is subjected to severe heat oxidation, resulting in rust formation and increase in its size. The refractory being a material with very low linear expansion characteristics, cannot take the adjustment to the increased key size and starts cracking. Consequently the cracks, originating from the bottom, travel to the ‘hot face’ and it slowly expands, making the function of the refractory itself redundant.  The incinerator body is now subjected to high heat continuously, resulting in failure and heat cracking of the metal body itself.

      Consider, for example, the use of a high heat-resisting, non-oxidising (and hence no rusting) material with a special coating. The material itself withstands high heat and the special coating given to it vaporizes at high heat, making room for the key to expand. Hence there is no possibility of damage or crack to the refractory. When the incinerator cools down, the vaporized coating resumes its original consistency and comes back to sit on the keys.

      Haat has supplied ALL ITS 550+ INSTALLATIONS with these special keys and this is the reason why we have had no refractory problems.

2.      “Material thickness and MOC”: Haat makes no compromise whatsoever on either of these two aspects. In fact, even if a client`s spec asks for say 3 mm or 4 mm thickness of IS 2062, to make the incinerator sturdier and stronger, 5 or 6 mm thickness is chosen invariably. This provides for long life of the equipment.

      In the case of stainless steel, the correct grade of AISI 304 or 316 or 309 or 310 is chosen depending on the application and service condition. No cost cutting measures should be adopted here by not using these high SS grades as this would drastically cut short the life of the equipment.

      This attention to detail has provided longer equipment life for incinerators manufactured by Haat and our equipment has outlived the expectations of our clients.

3.      “Chamber sizing”: The incinerator primary combustion chamber volume is calculated on the basis of the thermal capacity required as well as the heat release rate, considering a factor which provides for more than sufficient volume for the waste to burn and enough room in the chamber. Similarly, the secondary chamber volume is calculated taking into account the flue gas volume generated and the residence time required for the gases to remain in the chamber.

      This enables complete combustion of the waste and its products of combustion, leaving no unburnt material in the ash and giving very good emissions.

4.      “Refractory and its application”:  We had written in an earlier blog about the special refractory Haat uses. This lining material has very high strength at high temperatures and hence provides a long life to the incinerator.

      However, one has to consider another aspect here, that of actual application of the lining material. Haat`s infrastructure is equipped with special paddle mixers, which ensure correct mixing time and mixing of the refractory before applying on to the job. After application, vibrators are used to remove any air pockets, thus consolidating the laid out material and removing unwanted air, providing solidity to the lining.

      The refractory thus applied provides long life to the incinerator.

5.      “Expansion joints”: Taking into account the very little linear expansion of refractory, expansion joints are created at pre-designed intervals with a special heat resisting paper. This avoids any cracks when large surface areas are lined.

6.      “Lifting hooks”: All lifting hooks welded on to the incinerator and other downstream or upstream equipment are invariably load-tested to ensure no failure during actual lifting process.

7.      “Door knobs”: Doors subject to heat, such as ash doors, are provided with knobs which are made of brass, but the outside lining is bake lite, so that the inner material handles the heat and protects the operator`s hand.

These are a few “little things” that matter in incinerator manufacture because we are aware what “a little hole” on the hull can do to the ship!