Toxic & Persistent Contaminants — Fate Matrix
Every atom entering the ACM must exit through one of four routes: (A) destroyed at CRSCU plasma with atoms redistributed into product streams; (B) volatilized into vapor phase, then captured on activated-carbon guard beds or in the condensate; (C) retained in the OmniCrude™ solid phase and routed through Solids Separation to a MAX Processing Train as product; (D) excluded from the accepted feedstock envelope by contract. Nothing routes to combustion; nothing routes to landfill in routine operation.
Values below are destruction-threshold references from published thermolysis data and design-basis routing rules. Per-site verification is by third-party accredited analytical + post-COD CEMS + classification of any residue stream under the national waste-management regulation.
Full 32-class fate matrix · destruction thresholds · framings
| Contaminant class | Examples | Fate mechanism | Product / capture route |
|---|---|---|---|
| A — Persistent halogenated organics · destroyed at CRSCU plasma (1,300–1,800 °C) | |||
| PFAS (per/polyfluoroalkyl) | AFFF firefighting foam, non-stick coatings, textiles, food packaging, PFOA/PFOS/GenX | C–F bond thermolysis > 1,100 °C. CRSCU plasma exceeds threshold with margin. F− released to aqueous phase. | Fluoride captured as CaF2 / NH4F crystallized in Water MAX salt-cake product. |
| PCBs | Legacy transformer oils, dielectric fluids, hydraulic fluids | C–Cl thermolysis > 1,200 °C. Backbone biphenyl reduced to CO + H2. | Cl− → NH4Cl salt-cake; C/H atoms → syngas → H2 / CO products. |
| PBDEs (brominated flame retardants) | Electronics housings, textiles, foams, PBDE-99/100/153/209 | C–Br thermolysis > 900 °C. | Br− → NH4Br salt-cake; C/H → syngas. |
| Dioxins & furans (PCDD/PCDF) | Combustion residues from feedstock (pre-existing); TCDD, OCDD, PeCDF | Oxygen-starved regime suppresses de novo formation (the classic formation window needs O2 + Cl + 300–500 °C); rapid quench controls downstream reformation. Pre-existing dioxins destroyed > 850 °C / 2 s with margin. DRE verified by third-party analytical at FOAK and post-COD — not asserted from temperature alone. | Design envelope: < 0.05 ng TEQ/Nm³ (vs. the national environmental regulator 0.1 limit). |
| Chlorinated solvents | TCE, PCE, methylene chloride, chloroform, vinyl chloride | C–Cl thermolysis > 850 °C. | Cl− → NH4Cl salt-cake; C atoms → syngas / pristine C via CRSCU cyclone. |
| Chlorinated paraffins | SCCPs, MCCPs (PVC plasticizers, metalworking fluids) | Full thermolysis at CRSCU temp. | Cl− → salt-cake; C/H → syngas. |
| Legacy POPs pesticides | DDT, HCB, HCH, chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, mirex, toxaphene | Full thermolysis at CRSCU temp. | Halogen atoms → salt-cake; C/H/N/S → product streams. |
| Ozone-depleting substances | CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, halons (from old refrigerators, foams, fire suppressants) | C–F / C–Cl / C–Br full destruction at CRSCU temp. Global-warming potential eliminated. | F/Cl/Br atoms → salt-cake as respective NH4+ salts. |
| Perchlorates, chlorates | Explosives residues, pyrotechnics, rocket propellant | Full oxidation-decomposition at CRSCU temp. | Cl− → salt-cake; released O2 → process oxidant balance. |
| B — Volatile heavy metals & metalloids · vapor phase → activated-carbon guard beds or condensate | |||
| Mercury (Hg) | Batteries, fluorescent lamps, thermometers, WEEE, some plastics | Volatile at MCR temp (Hg BP 357 °C). Vapor phase → downstream capture. | sulfur-impregnated activated carbon (self-produced) guard bed. Recovered as HgS mercury sulfide product via Metal MAX Trace Metals train (MAX-MTL-008). |
| Arsenic (As) | Wood preservatives (CCA), pesticides, some pigments, semiconductor waste | Volatile at MCR temp (As2O3 BP 465 °C). Partitions to condensate. | Iron-oxide co-precipitation in Water MAX → arsenate sludge concentrate → Metal MAX trace stream. |
| Selenium (Se) | Electronics, glass colorants, pigments | Volatile at high temp. Vapor phase capture. | Reduced to elemental Se in Water MAX → trace-metals recovery. |
| Thallium (Tl) | Cement kiln dust, semiconductor waste, some rat poisons (legacy) | Volatile Tl2O at high temp. | Ion-exchange / co-precipitation → trace-metals recovery. |
| Cadmium (Cd) | NiCad batteries, pigments, electroplating | Partially volatile at CRSCU temp (Cd BP 767 °C). Split between vapor and solid phases. | Vapor fraction → AC guard bed; solid fraction → Solids Sep → hydromet non-ferrous stream. |
| Antimony (Sb) | Flame-retardant synergist (Sb2O3), PET catalysts, lead alloys | Partially volatile at high temp. | Split → AC guard bed + Metal MAX non-ferrous recovery. |
| C — Non-volatile heavy metals, REEs, precious metals · OmniCrude™ solid phase → Solids Separation → Metal MAX | |||
| Lead (Pb) | Lead-acid batteries, WEEE solder, CRT glass, paints, ammunition | Non-volatile at MCR temp (Pb BP 1,749 °C). Stays in OmniCrude solid. | Metal MAX hydrometallurgical non-ferrous stream → recovered as Pb metal or PbO product. |
| Chromium (Cr) | Stainless steel, leather tanning residues, metal plating, pigments | Oxygen-starved regime reduces Cr(VI) → Cr(III) (favorable, non-toxic form). | Metal MAX → EAF steel co-product or Cr metal recovery. |
| Nickel (Ni) | Stainless steel, batteries, catalysts, coins | Non-volatile. Reduced in oxygen-starved regime. | Metal MAX EAF steel or Ni metal recovery. |
| Copper, Zinc, Tin (Cu, Zn, Sn) | WEEE, brass alloys, galvanized steel, solder | Non-volatile at MCR temp; Zn partially volatile at CRSCU temp. | Metal MAX hydromet non-ferrous stream. |
| Cobalt, Vanadium, Manganese (Co, V, Mn) | Li-ion batteries, petroleum residues, alloy steels, catalysts | Non-volatile. Reduced form. | Metal MAX battery-metals + alloy-metals streams. |
| Lithium (Li) | Li-ion batteries, ceramics, greases | Non-volatile in reduced regime. | Metal MAX battery-metals stream (dedicated Li recovery module). |
| Beryllium (Be) | Aerospace alloys, high-performance electronics, X-ray windows | Non-volatile. Trace concentrations. | Metal MAX Trace Metals train (MAX-MTL-008); handled under dedicated Be protocol per WHS. |
| Rare Earths (REEs) | Nd, Dy, La, Ce, Y, Eu, Tb, Sm, Gd (magnets, phosphors, catalysts, WEEE) | Non-volatile. Concentrated in solid phase. | Metal MAX REE trains (MAX-MTL-005 / 007 / 009) — high-value recovery. |
| Precious metals | Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru (WEEE, catalytic converters, jewelry scrap) | Non-volatile. Concentrated in solid phase. | Metal MAX Precious Metals train (MAX-MTL-004) — high-value recovery. |
| D — Toxic organics (non-halogenated) · destroyed at CRSCU plasma | |||
| Pharmaceuticals + hormones | Antibiotics, endocrine disruptors, chemotherapy drugs, hormones, personal-care products, veterinary residues | Full organic destruction at CRSCU temp. Constituent C/H/O/N/S/P/halogens redistribute. | No pharma-active residues in output. Halogens (if any) → salt-cake; N → NH3 or N2; P → phosphate salt. |
| Aromatic hydrocarbons (VOCs) | Benzene, toluene, xylenes, styrene, phenol, cresols | CRSCU plasma cracks aromatic rings to elemental C + H. | Pristine C via CRSCU cyclone → Carbon MAX; H → H2 product. |
| Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde | Resins, particleboard, adhesives, tobacco residues | Full destruction to CO + H2. | Syngas → H2 / CO products. |
| Phthalates | DEHP, BBP, DBP, DINP (PVC plasticizers, medical devices, toys) | Full organic destruction. | C/H/O → syngas. |
| Bisphenols | BPA, BPS, BPF (polycarbonate, epoxy resins, thermal receipts) | Full destruction. | Syngas. |
| Aromatic amines, nitrosamines | Rubber vulcanization residues, cured epoxies, dye intermediates | Full destruction; N → NH3 or N2. | NH3 → NH4-based salt-cake products; N2 → industrial N2 product via Gas MAX (RC3). |
| Organophosphate compounds | Pesticides (chlorpyrifos, malathion), flame retardants (TCPP, TCEP) | Full destruction; P → phosphate. | Phosphate salt → Water MAX salt-cake or dedicated P-recovery stream. |
| Siloxanes | D4, D5, D6 (personal care, silicone rubber) | Silicon-oxygen bonds cracked at CRSCU temp; Si → solid SiO2. | SiO2 → Glass MAX; C/H → syngas. |
| E — Inorganic hazards · mixed routes | |||
| Sulfur compounds | H2S, mercaptans, thiophenes, sulfates | Destroyed / captured at CRSCU + syngas cleanup. | S → (NH4)2S in salt-cake; or elemental sulfur product. |
| Nitrogen compounds | NH3, amines, nitriles, cyanates | Destroyed at CRSCU; oxygen-starved regime suppresses NOx formation. | NH3 → NH4+-salt products; N2 → industrial N2 product via Gas MAX (RC3). |
| Crystalline silica (respirable) | C&D dust, foundry sand, ceramic residues | Vitrified in Glass MAX at 1,200–1,600 °C → permanent non-respirable glass matrix. | Glass MAX Processing Train → RC1–RC5 glass products. |
| Asbestos | Legacy insulation, gaskets, fireproofing | Not accepted in routine feedstock envelope. Under dedicated HAZMAT protocol at qualifying sites only: routed to Glass MAX for vitrification into non-hazardous glass matrix — permanent structural immobilization (fiber-bound, non-leaching, non-respirable). | Vitrified glass product via Glass MAX (permanent, non-leaching). |
| Cyanides | Gold-cyanide leach residues, plating baths, some mining wastes | Excluded from feedstock envelope by contract — outside the accepted chemistry. | N/A — not accepted. |
| Radionuclides | Alpha/beta/gamma emitters, TENORM, medical isotopes | Excluded from feedstock envelope by contract — outside the accepted envelope. Site radiation portal monitors screen all inbound feedstock. | N/A — not accepted. Rejected feedstock returned to shipper with the notification required under the national waste-management regulation. |
Illustrative representative loading at 100 TPD (~100 kg/h across 5 categories, ~2.4% of feed). Numbers indicate flow scale — actual per-site values are feedstock-dependent and verified by inbound QC + post-COD analytical. Hover any node to isolate its flows.
Design-basis destruction thresholds vs. CRSCU operating condition
| Contaminant class | Published destruction threshold | CRSCU operating condition | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dioxins / furans (PCDD/PCDF) | > 850 °C for 2 s residence | 1,300–1,800 °C, plasma residence >> 2 s | > 450 °C above threshold |
| PCBs | > 1,200 °C | 1,300–1,800 °C | 100–600 °C margin |
| PFAS (C–F bond) | > 1,100 °C | 1,300–1,800 °C | 200–700 °C margin |
| PBDEs (C–Br bond) | > 900 °C | 1,300–1,800 °C | 400–900 °C margin |
| Chlorinated solvents (C–Cl bond) | > 850 °C | 1,300–1,800 °C | 450–950 °C margin |
| Legacy POPs pesticides | > 1,000 °C | 1,300–1,800 °C | 300–800 °C margin |
| Asbestos (silicate destruction) | > 1,500 °C for full vitrification | Glass MAX at 1,200–1,600 °C (dedicated route, not CRSCU) | Vitrification pathway (permanent immobilization) |
Architectural framings
- Oxygen-starved regime suppresses de novo dioxin/furan formation. Dioxin formation requires the co-existence of O2, chlorine, and 300–500 °C combustion temperature. None of these conditions co-exist in ACM: primary conversion is sub-atmospheric (~0.5 atm) with no combustion; CRSCU is plasma cracking above 1,300 °C; there is no post-combustion boiler zone. This is a categorical difference from incineration, where dioxins/furans are the primary regulated concern. De novo reformation during gas cooling (chlorine + catalytic metals + carbonaceous matter + trace O2) is a recognized mechanism and is controlled by the CRSCU rapid-quench design; destruction and removal efficiency is verified by third-party analytical at FOAK and post-COD, not asserted from temperature margin alone.
- CRSCU plasma temperature exceeds all common persistent-organic destruction thresholds with margin (see table above). This is not a marginal-compliance case — the operating point sits well above published thermolysis thresholds for the entire regulated persistent-organic list.
- Halogens (F, Cl, Br) become salt-cake products. After CRSCU destruction of halogenated organics, the halogen atoms partition to the aqueous phase as ionic species (F−, Cl−, Br−) and are crystallized in Water MAX as NH4F / CaF2, NH4Cl, and NH4Br respectively. Sulfur becomes (NH4)2S or elemental S. Nitrogen becomes NH4+-salt or N2. Phosphorus becomes phosphate salt.
- Heavy metals become products, not waste. The Metal MAX Processing Train captures the full metals inventory across 9 module classes (EAF steel, hydromet non-ferrous, battery metals, precious metals, REEs, trace metals). Volatile metals (Hg, As, Se, Tl) are captured on self-produced sulfur-impregnated activated-carbon guard beds and recovered via the Trace Metals train (MAX-MTL-008). Non-volatile metals (Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd solid fraction, Co, V, Mn, Sn) partition to the OmniCrude™ solid phase and route through Solids Separation into the appropriate Metal MAX stream.
- Cr(VI) is thermodynamically suppressed. The oxygen-starved reducing environment of primary conversion converts any hexavalent chromium to Cr(III) — the non-toxic, non-carcinogenic oxidation state used in leather tanning and stainless-steel production. This is a favorable side-effect of the process regime.
- Analytical verification path. Destruction and Removal Efficiency (DRE) for regulated persistent organics is verified by: (a) accredited third-party laboratory analytical testing on captured-gas, effluent, and residue streams during ASI System Integration Testing (SIT); (b) continuous emissions monitoring (CEMS) post-COD for captured-gas species at the compliance point; (c) periodic composite sampling of MAX product streams to confirm regulated species remain below detection limits or within product-grade specifications. Trade-secret internals (microwave frequency modes, dielectric library, susceptor recipe) are not disclosed pre-COD — verification is by third-party review of post-COD outcome data, not process disclosure.
- Feedstock envelope boundaries are contractual. Radionuclides and cyanide chemistry are excluded from the accepted feedstock envelope by contract. Every site installs radiation portal monitors on the inbound gate. Asbestos-containing feedstock is only accepted at sites qualified under a dedicated HAZMAT protocol and is routed to Glass MAX for vitrification (permanent, non-leaching, fiber-bound immobilization).
- No default disposal path. The system is designed to maximize conversion into certified products and internal recycle streams while minimizing material requiring external disposition — the six MAX Processing Trains are the capture architecture, and all non-product streams are mass-accounted and reported. N2 → industrial N2 product (Gas MAX RC3); CO2 → liquefied CO2 product (Gas MAX RC3); H2O → Recombined Water + condensate products (Water MAX RC1–RC5). The APS enforces a zero-vent design — there is no atmospheric release path in routine operation. There is no ash landfill path, no wastewater discharge path, no incinerator stack. Accidental events (spills, upsets, maintenance operations, exhausted media replacement, edge-case feedstock composition) are not zero and are handled under the national environmental regulator's and national waste-management regulation's standard operator-permit conditions, with licensed HAZMAT contingency for genuinely off-spec fractions.
Failure Modes & Upset Scenarios
Routine-operation performance is zero vent by APS design (all captured streams reflow to product); near-zero across waste and discharge. Off-normal events are not zero. This section enumerates the recognized failure modes, the automatic containment response, and the downstream regulatory notification path. All ACM sites operate under the national environmental regulator's and national waste-management regulation's standard operator-permit conditions and carry the corresponding upset-condition reporting obligations.
11 failure modes · containment principles · HAZOP framing
| Failure mode | Trigger conditions | Automatic response | Environmental exposure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microwave generator fault (single unit) | Magnetron over-temp; power-supply fault; waveguide arc; RF-monitor out-of-envelope | Affected generator islanded within one control cycle; remaining generators on the same Recyclotron rebalance load; if quorum lost, Recyclotron isolates to hot standby; feedstock feeder to that Recyclotron pauses. | No release. Vapor and solid inventories remain contained; sub-atmospheric envelope prevents outward leakage. |
| Recyclotron pressure excursion | Feeder over-throw; steam-purge fault; solid bed compaction; vapor-line back-pressure | Feed pauses; N2 flood on affected line; APS captures displaced vapor at the pressure-relief header (routed to Recyclotron feed inlet or CRSCU inlet by composition, not vented); pressure return to sub-atmospheric within seconds. | Zero atmospheric release under design conditions. APS is the release path of last resort and routes back to the Recyclotron or CRSCU for full reprocessing / destruction. |
| CRSCU trip (plasma flame-out) | Plasma torch fault; quench-boiler over-temp; refractory alarm; vapor-flow interlock | Vapor line isolates upstream at the Recyclotron discharge; N2 purge on downstream cyclone; second CRSCU on parallel line takes vapor if capacity permits; failing CRSCU cools under N2 for maintenance. | No release. Any un-cracked vapor is held in the isolated line, not vented. Restart under standard hot-restart protocol. |
| PEM fuel-cell stack degradation | Catalyst-poisoning breakthrough (Section 3 Q2); membrane hydration loss; cell-voltage decay past service threshold | Affected stack islanded; power-block load shifted to remaining stacks; H2 flow rebalanced; degraded stack scheduled for membrane / catalyst replacement at next maintenance window; feedstock throughput unaffected (excess H2 returned to H2 buffer storage or re-routed through the H2 PSA for re-polishing; if buffer at capacity, recycled as a controlled reducing / reforming gas into designated CRSCU reactions — not flared and not vented under normal operation). | No release under normal operating conditions — H2 is captured to buffer storage, PSA re-polish, or CRSCU absorption; no routine flaring path exists in the design. Emergency disposition is governed by the site safety case. |
| Activated-carbon guard bed exhaustion | Breakthrough on Hg / As / trace-metal sorbent bed (CEMS or downstream analytical trigger) | Automatic switch to redundant parallel bed; exhausted bed sealed and processed for full material recovery: (1) in-situ thermal desorption → captured metals to Metal MAX Trace Metals stream; (2) desorbed AC substrate (self-produced) returns to the Recyclotron feed as carbon-bearing feedstock. If a bed cannot be regenerated in-situ, the whole bed is loaded into the Recyclotron feed — CRSCU destroys any residual organics, metals route to Metal MAX, carbon reflows into Carbon MAX. Downstream CEMS values remain within envelope during switch. | No release. Loaded sorbent is never a disposal stream — it becomes feedstock. Metals to Metal MAX; carbon substrate reflows into the process. No HAZMAT disposal path exists in the design. |
| Off-spec feedstock load | Inbound QC / radiation portal monitor / gate composition scan flags feed outside the accepted envelope (Section 2 acceptance protocol) | Load rejected at gate. Rejected load quarantined in sealed containment; returned to shipper with an incident notification filed under the national waste-management regulation; site operating record annotated. | Zero — load never enters the process. Radiation portal is a physical barrier at the inbound gate. |
| Water MAX salt-cake bed capacity | Salt-cake accumulator approaching design capacity; extended run without offtake dispatch | Alarm at 80% capacity, feedstock throttling at 90%, automatic shutdown at 95%. Downstream: dispatch to salt-product customer or licensed storage. | Zero release — the failure mode is throughput limitation, not discharge. |
| Utility loss (grid outage / cooling / instrument air / N2 supply) | External utility interruption | Site is island-capable post-startup: PEM PowerBlock supplies internal load; N2 generation on-site (PSA); cooling water in closed loop; controlled shutdown to hot standby on total loss; startup H2 inventory buffers 4–8 h of critical-load operation. | Zero release. Site rides through short outages; extended outage triggers controlled shutdown to hot standby, not emergency vent. |
| Feedstock feeder mechanical jam | Rag-up / oversized item / feeder-belt fault | Feeder stops; upstream conveyor pauses; Recyclotron feed rate ramps down; clearing under lockout/tagout; no unplanned material fall-through to reactor. | Zero release. Feed system is dry and enclosed. |
| Feedstock pre-conditioning fire / smolder | Self-ignition of high-VM feedstock in preparation zone (dust, rag, foam) | Detection: multi-modal (IR + CO + smoke). Response: N2 inertion of the affected bin; feedstock isolation; local fire-brigade notification if not self-extinguishing under N2. | Managed under standard SFPE / NFPA / the host jurisdiction's civil defense code protocols; incident reporting per operator conditions under the national waste-management regulation. |
| Instrumentation failure (CEMS, RF monitor, flow, pressure) | Sensor fault detection; redundancy quorum loss | Redundant sensor takes over; where quorum cannot be established, affected sub-system to safe state; CEMS: dual-train reporting per the national environmental regulator's continuous-monitoring rules. | Zero release from instrumentation cause. CEMS availability reporting is a permit obligation. |
Design principles for containment
- Sub-atmospheric primary envelope. The primary conversion path operates at ~0.5 atm throughout the vapor line. Under any pressure loss or breach the flow direction is inward — ambient air leaks into the envelope, not process gas out. This is a design property, not an active control.
- APS as release-of-last-resort routing to Recyclotron or CRSCU. The Atmospheric Protection System captures any displaced vapor at pressure-relief headers and routes it back to the Recyclotron feed inlet (for reprocessing through the full conversion path) or to the CRSCU inlet (for direct plasma destruction of any organics), selected by composition — never to vent. This is Carbotura-proprietary and integral to the zero-vent design.
- Redundant parallelism at every critical stage. Two vapor lines × two solid lines × two CRSCUs × multiple MW generators per Recyclotron × N-out-of-M redundant guard beds. Single-point failures do not propagate to release.
- Feedstock envelope enforced at the physical gate. Radiation portal monitors, in-gate composition scans, and rejected-load quarantine sit before the process. Excluded feed does not reach the reactor.
- N2 inertion available at every process node. On-site PSA-generated N2 is the universal contingency purge/inertion medium — no external supply dependency.
- Island-capable post-startup. Once running, the site does not depend on grid, external N2, or external steam. There is no routine external process-water demand once stable Island-Mode operation is established (subject to FOAK verification); commissioning fill, firewater, and potable / sanitary supplies are separate utility categories. Loss of external utility triggers controlled hot-standby, not emergency vent.
- Standard national environmental-regulator and waste-management-regulation upset reporting. Every recognized failure mode has a defined severity classification and reporting obligation. Post-COD annotated operating record is shared with the counterparty and the relevant authority per permit conditions.
Every ACM deployment is designed to meet or exceed the applicable regulatory framework in the host jurisdiction: the national environmental regulator's standards, the national waste-management regulation's requirements, and any special economic zone or host-site industrial authority's additional requirements. Continuous emissions monitoring (CEMS) is installed at every site as standard specification.
Engineering Detail
Design-basis emission envelopes vs. reference standards (per 100 TPD module, ESTIMATED — design-basis pending site CEMS validation):
| Species | Design Envelope | Ref Standard (the national environmental regulator / EU BAT-BREF equiv) |
|---|---|---|
| CO2 (net) | Feedstock-carbon-neutral (biogenic) | — |
| NOx | < 100 mg/Nm³ | 150 mg/Nm³ |
| SOx | < 30 mg/Nm³ | 50 mg/Nm³ |
| Particulates | < 5 mg/Nm³ | 10 mg/Nm³ |
| CO | < 30 mg/Nm³ | 50 mg/Nm³ |
| HCl | < 5 mg/Nm³ | 10 mg/Nm³ |
| HF | < 1 mg/Nm³ | 1 mg/Nm³ |
| Hg | < 20 µg/Nm³ | 30 µg/Nm³ |
| Dioxins/furans | < 0.05 ng TEQ/Nm³ | 0.1 ng TEQ/Nm³ |
Actual CEMS data (post-COD) available directly to the counterparty and the relevant host-jurisdiction authority under standard regulatory reporting protocols.