Waste-to-Energy through thermochemical processes: matching waste with process

status: publishe

Energy from waste: review of thermochemical technologies for refuse derived fuel (RDF) treatment

The growing amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) and the related problems of waste disposal urge the development of a more sustainable waste management practice. Waste-to-Energy (WtE) technologies – recovering energy in the form of electricity and/or heat from waste – are being developed worldwide. The present paper reviews thermochemical technologies for energetic valorization of calorific waste streams (WtE), with focus on refuse derived fuel (RFD) – a processed form of municipal solid waste (MSW). The basic principles of the available technologies and process details of some specific technologies are summarized. Technologically advanced processes (e.g. plasma gasification) receive more attention, with particular focus on the potential for energy recovery (WtE) and material recovery (WtP). The review concludes with an argumentation of the advantages of processing RDF as opposed to MSW, and a comparison between the different technologies, stressing factors affecting their applicability and operational suitability.status: publishe

Feasibility study: Plasma gasification technology for chemical energy storage

Contract report for CLARIANT (Confidential)nrpages: 72status: publishe

Overview of Waste-to-Energy Technologies

edition: 2018status: publishe

Pyrolysis characteristics of excavated landfill waste

poster presented during 'Open Bedrijvendag'status: accepte

Waste-to-clean syngas: avoiding tar problems

Syngas from gasification of carbon-rich feedstock is used for power generation as well as for the production of synthetic fuels and commodity chemicals. Tar removal forms a major challenge in the effort to make these syngas valorisation technologies technically and commercially feasible. Tar removal methods can be divided into two categories: (1) primary methods or treatments inside the gasifier, and (2) secondary methods or hot gas cleaning after the gasifier. The most important features of the primary and secondary tar removal methods, as well as the most recent developments in this field, are reviewed and discussed in this paper. For advanced syngas applications (e.g. gas engines), primary measures are generally not sufficient. In that case, primary methods can be used as a tool to optimise the gas composition for the secondary cleaning step. Corona plasma for tar removal is discussed in more detail. This promising technology will be used in future research on the cracking of real tars obtained from refuse derived fuel (RDF) pyrolysis.status: publishe

Pyrolysis characteristics of excavated waste material processed into refuse derived fuel

The pyrolysis characteristics of refuse derived fuel (RDF) processed from excavated landfill waste are investigated by thermogravimetric analysis combined with a MATLAB optimization study to determine chemical kinetic parameters. Waste samples – a mix of municipal and industrial waste – with particle sizes between 150 and 250 lm are heated to 800 C at a heating rate of 10 C min 1. The independent parallel first-order reactions model is used for the kinetic analysis. Four parallel reactions describe the thermal degradation behavior of the waste material. The calculated kinetic parameters (activation energy E = 100, 149, 99, 353 kJ mol 1, resp.) for the four identified fractions (hemicellulose, cellulose, and two types of plastic) did not fully agree with experimental studies available in the literature for fresh waste materials. The first fraction closely resembles hemicellulose. The second fraction is similar to cellulose, but the broad peak could indicate that lignin degradation is also covered. The behavior of the third fraction (i.e. the least stable plastics) deviates from literature data. This is explained by the partial overlap between the decomposition range of the second and third fraction. The fourth fraction decomposes in the same way as the stable plastics. The characteristics of the excavated waste (composition, age, possible catalytic effect of mineral matter and metals, etc.) could provide an explanation for the differences observed when comparing with fresh waste.IWT O&O project Closing the Circle and Enhanced Landfill mining as part of the transition to Sustainable Materials Management; Christopher de Dobbelaere; Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO Vlaanderen

The crucial role of Waste-to-Energy technologies in Enhanced Landfill Mining: a technology review

The novel concepts Enhanced Waste Management (EWM) and Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) intend to place landfilling of waste in a sustainable context. The state of the technology is an important factor in determining the most suitable moment to valorize – either as materials (Waste-to-Product, WtP) or as energy (Waste-to-Energy, WtE) – certain landfill waste streams. The present paper reviews thermochemical technologies (incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, plasma technologies, combinations) for energetic valorization of calorific waste streams, with focus on municipal solid waste (MSW), possibly processed into refuse derived fuel (RDF). The potential and suitability of these thermochemical technologies for ELFM applications are discussed. From this review it is clear that process and waste have to be closely matched, and that some thermochemical processes succeed in recovering both materials and energy from waste. Plasma gasification/vitrification is a viable candidate for combined energy and material valorization, its technical feasibility for MSW/RDF applications (including excavated waste) has been proven on installations ranging from pilot to full scale. The continued advances that are being made in process control and process efficiency are expected to improve the commercial viability of these advanced thermochemical conversion technologies in the near future.status: publishe