Design of the First Large United Kingdom Power Producing Refuse Disposal Plant

Abstract

The Refuse Disposal plant being erected at Edmonton for the Greater London Council is the first of its kind to be built in the United Kingdom. It is designed to handle automatically 1333 tons (2240 lb per ton) of crude refuse every 24 hr, untouched by hand. The refuse is used as a fuel to produce steam for the generation of about 30 mw of electric power, the exact amount depending on the throughput and calorific value of the fuel. A brief description of the plant is followed by the reasons and economic considerations associated with the overall concept. Later a more detailed explanation is given of those aspects of the design which were influenced by problems peculiar to refuse handling and incineration. The roller type incineration grates and combustion chambers, which are suitable for handling metallic objects as large as bedsteads, are described and their combustion principles explained. The boilers, of which the grates and combustion chambers are an integral part, presented some problems in designing for satisfactory availability of the gas side of heating surfaces and for an economically justifiable life of certain critical parts; these problems are described and reference is made to the somewhat limited large-scale experience available at the time of establishing the design. Other parts of the plant are also described where novel in design or application.