Experimental study on vitrification treatment of |fly ashes from municipal solid waste incinerator by swirling furnace

The melting experiment of fly ash was conducted in a self-designed swirling melting furnace. The melting characteristics of fly ash were systematically investigated in terms of morphology, properties of heavy metals and leaching behavior. The experimental results show that the slag is black, frail and rigid by swirling melting. The fixation rates of nickel and chromium achieve the maximal value above 95%. The low boiling point heavy metals are volatilized into flue gas or on the particles of melting fly ashes. The fixation rate of cadmium is only 21%, and the fixation rates of lead and zinc reach above 42% in the glassy slag. The fixation rates of copper and arsenic are 37% and 18%, respectively. The leaching rates of heavy metals in glassy slag are much lower than those of raw fly ash, which are below the (EPA) regulatory limit values.