Oxidative destruction of wastes using SILVER II

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Oxidative destruction of wastes using SILVER II?

Terry Graham Accentus plc
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Outline

• Introduction to SILVER II
• Process Chemistry Review
• Commercial Development
• Competitive Benefits
• Proposed Working Relationship
• Summary

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Outline

• Introduction to SILVER II
• Process Chemistry Review
• Commercial Development
• Competitive Benefits
• Proposed Working Relationship
• Summary

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Introduction - SILVER II
SILVER IITM is a patented process of
electrochemical mediated oxidation for providing
a safe and cost effective route for the
irreversible destruction of toxic or hazardous
organic compounds.
SILVER IITM patents are owned by Accentus
plc, a UK based company that focuses on the
invention, development and exploitation of
technology.
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Introduction

• Originally developed for nuclear waste
  management
• Insoluble Plutonium Uranium oxides from fuel
  recovery
• Spent solvents from reprocessing
• Ion exchange resins
• Contaminated cellulose tissues

• Scope then expanded to consider other toxic
  special wastes
• Industrial chemicals
• Chemical warfare agents
• Explosives and propellants
• Biological waste, eg. tissue, blood.

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A proven technology
Pilot plant at US military installation for
destroying chemical weapons, as a 23m
investment.
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STEP Drivers

• SILVER II is low Temp. alternative to
  incineration
• Incineration - unpopular perceived to be
  unsafe
• SILVER II offers the option of local small-scale
  treatment
• Incineration - requires large central facility
• Incineration - transport controls costs are
  increasing
• SILVER II avoids producing carcinogenic
  dioxins/furans
• Incineration - can result in further hazardous
  emissions

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Outline

• Introduction to SILVER II
• Process Chemistry Review
• Commercial Development
• Competitive Benefits
• Proposed Working Relationship
• Summary

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Process Overview
Inert Salts
Organic Waste
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System Overview
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Process Detail

• Ancillary processes
• NOx reformed to nitric acid
• Anolyte catholyte off-gas scrubbed with caustic
  prior to venting
• Insoluble salts extracted from anolyte by a
  hydrocyclone
• Silver recovered from catholyte and recycled to
  anolyte as silver nitrate

• Anolyte reaction
• Ag converted to Ag at anode
• Ag breaks down organics
• Carbon oxygen converted to CO2
• Hydrogen converted to H which transfers to the
  catholyte
• Chlorine, sulphur, nitrogen, phosphorus etc
  converted to salts

• Catholyte reaction
• H reacts with nitric acid to form nitrous acid
• Nitrous acid decomposes to form nitric acid, NOx
  and water

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Outline

• Introduction to SILVER II
• Process Chemistry Review
• Commercial Development
• Competitive Benefits
• Proposed Working Relationship
• Summary

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Historical Development
Status
Power Consumption
Desired Destruction Rate
Built/operated
10 W
1 g per hr
Built/operated
100 W
10 g per hr
Built/operated
1 kW
100 g per hr
Built/operated
24 kW
1000 g per hr
Outline design
650 kW
gt 50 kg per hr
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12kW Plant
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US Army Plant

• Operated for gt 3,500 hours by Army personnel
• No lost-time accidents in gt 25,000 man hours
• Demonstrated extended steady state operations and
  also frequent shutdown/start up
• High plant availability gt 97
• Destroyed gt1.2 te of Material with complete
  irreversible destruction (gt99.9999)
• Demonstrated silver recovery recycle, with no
  silver consumed.

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2 4kW Units
4kW Plant during works assembly
Cell Power Supply
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Small Portable Unit

• Cell rating - 100W
• Self contained
• Previously used on Pharmaceutical Client sites
• Point of use treatment
• Process rate up to 6 g / hr

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14C management unit

• Labeled drugs evaluation
• Mineralisation prior to disposal or recovery of
  14C
• SILVER II converts waste to 14CO2
• Caustic absorption as carbonate.

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Industrial Compounds Treated
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Other possible applications

• Highly toxic chemicals, neurotoxins
• Pesticides, herbicides
• Imaging pharmaceuticals labelled or contrast
  media
• Isotope reclamation
• Cellulose swabs, tissues
• Surface decontamination (metals and plastics)
• Extractants / solvents
• Toxic materials adsorbed on solids
• vermiculite, silica, carbon

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Outline

• Introduction to SILVER II
• Process Chemistry Review
• Commercial Development
• Competitive Benefits
• Proposed Working Relationship
• Summary

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Competitive Benefits

• Effective
• complete irreversible destruction (gt99.9999)
• Good turn-down ratio 0 to 100
• Easily scaled to provide static, mobile,
  transportable plant options
• Possible to treat waste at source through use of
  a small-scale plant

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Plant Operator Safety

• Inherently safe
• Low temperature (80?C)
• Atmospheric pressure
• Remote operation, fail-safe shut-off
• Low steady-state waste inventory
• Self decontaminating

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Public Regulatory Acceptance

• Low emission volumes
• Hold-up/monitoring before discharge
• Safe emissions
• no dioxins, furans, PCBs or PAHs
• Non-hazardous inert products
• H2O, CO2, salts

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Outline

• Introduction to SILVER II
• Process Chemistry Review
• Commercial Development
• Competitive Benefits
• Proposed Working Relationship
• Summary

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Proposed Working Relationship

• Accentus is a UK company focused on the
  invention, development exploitation of
  technology
• Our SILVER II technology development program is
  now complete
• Accentus now seek to license SILVER II alongside
  its portfolio of related and/or complimentary
  technology
• Licensing/sale can be by application or territory

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Outline

• Introduction to SILVER II
• Process Chemistry Review
• Commercial Development
• Competitive Benefits
• Proposed Working Relationship
• Summary

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Summary

• Proven for a range of applications
• Inherently safe (low temp. press.)
• Effective, offering complete destruction
• Easily scaled to
• suit specific waste volumes
• treat waste at source by use of small-scale plant
• Safe low volume emissions
• Hold-up/monitoring before discharge
• Non-hazardous inert products
• Available now for licensing

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Contact Details

• Terry Graham
• tel. [phone]
• terry.graham_at_accentus.co.uk
• Or
• James Shawcross
• tel. [phone]
• james.shawcross_at_accentus.co.uk

Accentus plc B528.10 Harwell Business
Centre Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 0QJ UK
Find us on the internet at http//www.accentus.co
.uk/