Industrial Waste Management Utilizing Microwave Heating

Waste materials are being generated around the world every year. Some of these are effectively collected and recovered for use as an energy source or chemical feedstock, while others are simply discarded or burned which in many ways polluting the environment. The improper disposal of these waste materials may constitute an environmental hazard due to the presence of undesirable species such as metals, soot and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. New technologies are being investigated to develop systems which shall support the safe handling, transportation, storage, disposal and destruction of the hazardous constituents of these wastes. The recent interest in microwave technologies due to the extent of the treatments and assisted applications promoting a specific technology has been highlighted against conventional methods, and appears to offer the best alternative to waste management. This paper discusses the potential use of microwave as an energy-efficient mean to current heating technologies employed in the processing and treatment of wastes. The process applications considered are the treatment and control of specific and often problematic waste-streams including; electrical and plastic as well as; industrial and municipal sludge and automotive industry wastes. Moreover, it presents an extensive review of the scientific literature associated with various microwave pyrolysis applications in waste to energy engineering.