THIRTY YEARS OF SATISFACTORY FLUID BED SLUDGE INCINERATION THE NORTHWEST BERGEN COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY EXPERIENCE

Fluid bed incineration has been used as a sludge disposal method at the Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority since 1969 when the first incineration unit was installed. In 2000, the third generation plant became operational. Over this period, environmental regulations have changed, as have the State mandated air pollution control devices. Since the State mandated a wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) for the third unit in addition to the wet venturi scrubber, a comparison is provided of emissions with and without the WESP. The operational and repair history of the units is reviewed, concentrating on the secondgeneration unit which operated continuously for twelve years before being placed on standby when the third unit was installed. Experience with these units has proven that fluid bed incineration is an economic, environmentally acceptable method of sludge disposal, satisfactory to the Authority, the permitting agencies and the public it serves.