What is the 4th state of matter? That is the term often
used for plasma.
It does not behave like a gas
or a liquid or a solid but somewhere in between.
Plasma is everywhere from TV's, to
that glow on spaceships when they enter the
atmosphere. Our sun is made of plasma and on
the surface has a temperature of 11,000F.
This same high temperature characteristic of
plasma is being used by InEnTec
to convert wastes into valuable products. Their
Plasma Enhanced Melter (PEM) uses plasma to turn
organics into a gas that can be used to generate
electricity or as a raw material.
Any metals or minerals in the waster are melted by the
high temperature. Glass forming compounds are
also added so the solids removed are encased in
glass for stability. In some systems electrical power
and/or
steam are also generated. Below are two links to
more information about the system:
Patti Engineering has been chosen to provide the
controls integration for a PEM system in Midland,
Michigan. The project includes
electrical design, controls programming, and interface
design. Patti's process experience and familiarity with
Siemens products give us the ability to successfully
complete a project with 168 analog points (pressure,
temperature, etc.) and 275 digital points. (on/off)
If you have a controls (process or not) project or
problem that you need completed Patti is here to
help. Most of our staff are degreed engineers (with 2
PEs) and our expertise covers most industries and
hardware platforms. Feel free to contact me if you
need
some controls help or have any questions.
