INTERNATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE

CASE STUDY # 188

1. Headline: Improving Operating Conditions

2. Background: See below.

3. Cleaner Production Principle: process modification

4. Description of Cleaner Production Application: A steam

jet ejector has been used to remove moisture from the

reactor tank prior to introducing the raw materials.

By removing the moisture from inside the tank, product

quality has increased and the amount of waste generated

was reduced by 42%. Steam is used because the plant

has excess steam capacity. After the steam exits the

ejector, it is used to preheat another process stream

before it is condensed in a heat exchanger.

Cross-Industry Application - all that preclean the

reactors

Case Study Summary

Incentives:

Economic incentives

Results of Application: 42% reduction in the quantity

of waste generated

Effects on Products: Improved product quality

5. Economics

Investment cost:

$325 (1988)

Payback time:

0.05 years (20 days)

Balances & Substitutions

Wastes generated

45,240 lb/yr (before) 26,240

lb/yr (after)

6. Advantages

Economic Benefits: 5,940 $/yr net annual savings

Liability reduction: reduced liability resulting from

reduced quantity of waste generated

Regulatory compliance: source

reduction

7. Constraints: No information provided.

8. Contacts and Citation

Citation:

Author: Waste Advantage, Inc.

Title: Industrial Waste Prevention. A

Guide To Developing An Effective Waste

Minimization Program.

Date of Publication: April 1987

9. Keywords: process modification, steam jet, tank, ejector,

cleaning

10. Reviewer's Comments: This case study was originally

abstracted from the publication cited above for the US

EPA's Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse. It

underwent a UNEP IE funded review in 1994 for quality and

completeness. It was edited for the ICPIC diskette in

July 1995.

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