Temperature

The temperature generated is a function of the heating value of the waste and auxiliary fuel, incinerator or burn unit design, air supply and combustion control. Complete combustion requires high temperatures. Generally, temperatures that exceed 650°C with a holding time of 1-2 minutes will cause complete combustion of most common household dry waste. Segregation lof waste is required when using this apparatus. When high temperatures are achieved, waste will be burned completely and ash, smoke and pollutant concentrations be minimized. However, it may be necessary to employ continuous feed for keeping the temperature steady and efficiently.

Turbulence

The turbulent mixing of burnable gases with sufficient oxygen is needed to promote good contact between the burning waste and incoming air. This will help in achieving the high temperatures at which waste can be completely burned. The amount of mixing is influenced by the shape and size of the burn chamber and how the air is injected. Passive under - fire ventilation achieved during open burning does not resultin sufficient turbulence for the burning of a wide variety of waste. Also, it is important not to overfill the burn chamber as airflow may be blocked and the amount of turbulence further reduced. The more advanced incineration design provide effective turbulence through the forced introduction of air directly into hot zones. The heating value, wetness and chemical properties of the waste affect the combustion process. The higher burn temperature and turbulence that are achieved, will result complete burning and elimination of odour and smoke

Maximizing Combustion Efficiency

Burn only dry feedstock and periodically add additional waste to the fire in order to maintain high burn temperatures until all waste has been destroyed. Desired operating temperature will be achieved as quickly as possible when operating this device.

A rapid 'start -up' can be achieved by first loosely loading dry paper and successively paperboard packing, coconut shells and untreated wood into the device. Dry, loosely loaded material will ignite more quickly and burn more evenly than a wet, tightly packed load. Wet waste should only be added after the fire is actively burning. Overfilling the burn chamber will prevent the turbulent mixing of burnable gases and oxygen, and should be avoided.

Location and Installation

Locate the furnace in a place predominantly downwind of the site or burn only on days when the wind is light and blowing away from the site. Ensure the burn barrel is located on gravel, rocky outcrop or other area free of combustible materials and vegetation to avoid accidently starting a tundra fire. The 'exhaust gas to combustion air' ratio is particularly important to achieving the maximum burn rate.