Corrosion of metallic materials in waste incinerators

Incineration is a convenient method for municipal waste treatment, all the more that it can be associated to energy production. Among the problems encountered in this industrial process, corrosion of refractory (metallic or ceramic) materials used in hot parts of incinerators can be a limiting factor. Several types of technological solutions can be recommended to limit degradations, for example : use of intrinsically resistant materials like high chromium refractory alloys, for metallic parts, use of ceramic coatings or alloys. The difficulty to characterize corrosion processes, and thus to recommend adequate solutions, is due to the complexity of the corrosive environment, the main characteristics which will be described, as well as corrosion processes identified up to now.