Euro-Mediterranean Project – Technical File: RUE / IN / No. 09
a) General information
Project title:
Hazardous waste treatment and valuable products
recovered with a pulsed-plasma technology
(Prometheus)
Location
Portable demonstrator
Code (identification of BRPR970467
the project, reference Scientific Officer: ADJEMIAN Alain
programme, responsible DGXII
official and DG)
Area (RES, RUE, FF
RUE/IN- Production technologies
and sub specifications)
Year of approval
1997
Sector
Incorporation of new technologies into production systems.
Programme
BRITE-EURAM 3
Reference no.
b) Co-ordinator, partners and suppliers
Co-ordinator
Soreq Nuclear Research Center
Address
City, post code, country
Telephone no.
Telefax no.
Contact person
Propulsion Physics Laboratory
Nahal Soreq
: Yavne
Postcode: 81100 ISRAEL
+972-8-9434347
Email: wald@ndc.soreq.gov.il
+972-8-9434227
Dr : WALD, Shlomo
Other Contractors
Partner 2: Air Liquide SA Centre de Recherche Claude Delorme
Address: BP 126
City: Jouy-en-Josas
Postcode: 78350
Org. Country: FRANCE
Partner 3: De Neef Chemical Recycling NV
Address: 8 Industriepark
City: Heist-op-den-Berg Postcode: 2220
Org. Country: BELGIUM
Partner 4: Universität Stuttgart
Department: Institut für Raumfahrtsysteme
Address: 31 Pfaffenwaldring
City: Stuttgart
Postcode: 70569
Org. Country: GERMANY
Partner 5: JAKOB HANDTE & Co GmbH
Address: 149 Ludwigstaler Strasse
City: Tuttlingen Postcode: 78532
Org. Country: GERMANY
c) Aims and objectives
The challenge of the project "Prometheus" is to provide an economical and efficient
decomposition method for fluid materials that could be implemented on the
manufacturing lines within the plants.
It is aimed to reduce the energy consumption, to avoid the production of pollutants,
and eventually eliminate the need to transport hazardous waste from the plants to
treatment centres. The proposed process combines the benefit of a cost effective and
environmentally favourable method.
The aim of "Prometheus" project is to manifest the advantage of pulsed-plasma over
conventional plasma torch for fluid wastes treatment. The high-density, high-velocity
plasma jet attributes to the enhancement of the radiative heat transfer in the interface
layer between the plasma and the fluid. As a consequence, the energy efficiency of the
process is supposed to increase substantially.
The objective is to perform the proof of concept experiments on a transportable
laboratory. The laboratory has to be designed, build and tested in pulse rate between
0.01 to 1 pulses/second and to treat several litters per hour of selected materials. The
tests are to be performed by the end-user partners on real wastes.
d) Situation of the project
Description
The project is now in its mid-term period and it isprogressing on schedule.
Phase of advancement
The transportable laboratory (5_10Kg/h capacity) is one of the main deliverables of
the project.
It has just been completed after laboratory tests in which 0,5Kg/h have been
successfully treated.
The transportable laboratory consists on two major elements: The power supply with
the plasma injector and the reactor with the gas handling system. The first subsystem
was designed and manufactured by Soreq NRC and the second by the University of
Stuttgart together with Handte. Stuttgart and Handte integrated the system in
Germany.
It is expected to start experiments on November 1999.
Dates of beginning and conclusion
Beginning: 1.12.97
Conclusion: 30.11.2000
Innovative technology (if foreseen)
High repetition rate (1Hz), high power (50kJ, 500MW), plasma source has been
developed.
Supplier Country, town
Substantial contribution to the realisation of the prototype by Soreq NRC
(Israel),Stuttgart University and Handte (DE) as it has previously described.
The prototype can be considered a co-production of DE and IL.
e) Open field for photos and graphic material
4 photos (see separate file)
f) Results and achievements

f1)Energy saving projects, substitution projects, power production projects
Energy/year saved or substituted or produced in TOE/year if thermal energy, in
MWh/y if electric energy.
The energy consumption compared to alternative methods (incineration: conventional
or plasma) is considered to be lower by about 50%.Similar reduction of costs.
Pulsed Plasma can be served as an alternative process for cracking in the chemical
industry.
The potential of the project is enormous.
For example, 1995, 36.8% of the VOC= Volatile Organic Compounds in Europe were
incinerated at the cost of M$138.2 and the market is steadily increasing. The aims of
this RTD project are to develop a new, efficient and environmentally friendly
processing technique and equipment that can be used in a closed-loop process for the
recovery of materials.
However it still too early to be able to determine the real impact of this project.

f2) Environmental and social impact
CO2 emissions (t/year) NA
SO2 reduction (t/year) NA
Other effects
The system is expected to be installed on-line of the waste producer's facility. So, it
will avoid waste production, enable recovery of materials and eliminate the need of
transportation of hazardous materials for treatment at central sites
 f3) Economic data
_Investments up to now (Euro) 1.5 M€
_Investments (foreseen) 2.5 M€
_EC funding 50%
_Pay back (years)
Prometheus has developed a process usable for many and completely different
applications. The wide range of applications and the early stage of development makes
impossible to provide pay back figures.
_Comment on investments, turnover and profits (if any) of the supplier and user.
Following the present RDT project a second phase is needed for the design and
manufacturing of industrial pilot plant (~10M€).
The pilot plant will have potentialities in the order of 0,1 t/h, that is ten times the
demonstrator. It is expected to be ready in three years after the project end. for
demonstrations.
g) Co-operation data
 Role of the partners (host, supplier and key enablers)
SOREQ NRC - R&D performer, Inventor of the method. The main contribution is
plasma source development. Supplier of plasma injectors.
The University of Stuttgart performer - R&D, Development of the reactors. Testing
and analysis of the system performance.
Handte - Design and manufacturing of the gas handling system.
Air Liquid - End user - Defines the prospect wastes to be treated and performs tests on
its wastes within its premises.
De Neef - End user - Defines the prospect wastes to be treated and performs tests on
its wastes within its premises.
 Technology transfer (description of the technology, name of the supplier)
Up to now formalised technology transfers have not taken place.
 Localisation of the applied technology/plant
Transportable test facility to be installed at the premises of the end user partners.
Industrial potential applications could be everywhere.
 Characteristics of the non-EU area (short description)
The main R&D Partner is located in IL. This location of the Prime Partner has no
particular impact on the project.

Relevant aspects of the co-operation (management, technical, economic)
No co-operation difficulties up to now.
 Best practices and lessons learned
Geographical distance had no significant impact.
An homogeneous technical background has favoured the progress of the project.
 Employment observations
No impact for three years on employment . When industrial phase will start there will
be a moderate increase of employment for the supplier and practically no impact for
the end users
h) Potential application
Potential applications are hazardous fluid waste treatment and recovery of products
from wastes.
Other prospect applications are classified.
The market consists of industries such as petrochemical, plastic, pesticides, electronics,
paints and coatings etc., include hazardous organic compounds in their
processes either as a raw material or product or intermediate agent. VOC (Volatile
Organic Compounds) halogenated organic materials, phosphorous compounds are
a good example for the utilisation of the proposed method. The most common
treatment method for these materials is thermal incineration. For example, 1995,
i) General comments
The project has, up to now , achieved its goals and it is on schedule.
It is too early to speak of success of the project .It is more appropriate to speak of its
importance.
The importance is determined by a) the validity of the basic idea and b)by the variety
and importance of the potential applications.
a)The plasma specific features enable a most efficient radiative heat transfer to the
treated material bed (Evaporation-rate increase by a factor more than 200 was
experimentally demonstrated) Therefore, energy is transferred to selected chemical
bonds and not wasted on global thermal heating of the treated bed. The process can be
defined as a highly efficient photolysis.
It is expected that the proposed method will be the best available technology for many
fluid wastes: liquids, slurries powders and gases. 40%-50% lower treatment price is
assumed compared with available alternative This, does not include the benefit of
material recovery and saving of the costly transportation of wastes to treatment
centres.
b) The process is envisaged for the treatment of chemical products used in large
quantities by industries. Examples are: VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and
halogenated organic materials.
The co-operation experience
All the partners actively cooperated to the project so that all efforts have been devoted
to solve technical problems.
Funding and eventual OPET support
Funds were adequate to the tasks and correctly allocated.
No OPET support.
Other promotional measures
The portable laboratory , that is the main deliverable of the project, is conceived to
promote the dissemination through tests.
j) Contact person for further information
Name
Dr. WALD, Shlomo
Telephone no.
+972-8-9434347
Telefax no.
+972-8-9434227