Municipal Solid Waste Incineration
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Transcript Municipal Solid Waste Incineration
Thermochemical Conversion
Technologies
Combustion Types
Incineration (energy recovery through
complete oxidation)
– Mass Burn
– Refuse Derived Fuel
Pyrolysis
Gasification
Plasma arc (advanced thermal
conversion)
Gasification
Partial oxidation process using air, pure
oxygen, oxygen enriched air, hydrogen, or
steam
Produces electricity, fules (methane,
hydrogen, ethanol, synthetic diesel), and
chemical products
Temperature > 1300oF
More flexible than incineration, more
technologically complex than incineration or
pyrolysis, more public acceptance
Flexibility of Gasification
Pyrolysis
Thermal degradation of carbonaceous materials
Lower temperature than gasification (750 – 1500oF)
Absence or limited oxygen
Products are pyrolitic oils and gas, solid char
Distribution of products depends on temperature
Pyrolysis oil used for (after appropriate posttreatment): liquid fuels, chemicals, adhesives, and
other products.
A number of processes directly combust pyrolysis
gases, oils, and char
Pyrolyzer—Mitsui R21
Thermoselect (Gasification and
Pyrolysis)
Recovers a synthesis gas, utilizable glass-like
minerals, metals rich in iron and sulfur from
municipal solid waste, commercial waste,
industrial waste and hazardous waste
High temperature gasification of the organic
waste constituents and direct fusion of the
inorganic components.
Water, salt and zinc concentrate are produced
as usable raw materials during the process
water treatment.
No ashes, slag or filter dusts
100,000 tpd plant in Japan operating since
1999
Thermoselect
(http://www.thermoselect.com/index.cfm)
Fulcrum Bioenergy MSW to Ethanol Plant
Plasma Arc
Heating Technique using electrical arc
Used for combustion, pyrolysis, gasification, metals
processing
Originally developed by SKF Steel in Sweden for
reducing gas foriron manufacturing
Plasma direct melting reactor developed by
Westinghouse Plasma Corp.
Further developed for treating hazardous feedstocks
(Contaminated soils, Low-level radioactive waste,
Medical waste)
Temperatures (> 1400oC) sufficient to slag ash
Plasma power consumption 200-400 kWh/ton
Commercial scale facilities for treating MSW in Japan
Plasma Arc Technology in Florida
Green Power Systems is proposing to build
and operate a plasma arc facility to process
1,000 tons per day of municipal solid waste
(garbage) in Tallahassee, Florida.
Geoplasma is proposing to build a similar
facility for up to 3,000 tons of solid waste per
day in St. Lucie County, claims 120 MW will
be produced
Health risks, economics, and technical issues
still remain
Process
Heated using
– direct current arc plasma for high T organic
waste destruction and gasification and
– Alternating current powered, resistance
hearing to maintain more even T
distribution in molten bath
Waste Incineration Advantages
• Volume and weight reduced (approx. 90% vol. and
75% wt reduction)
• Waste reduction is immediate, no long term
residency required
• Destruction in seconds where LF requires 100s of
years
• Incineration can be done at generation site
• Air discharges can be controlled
• Ash residue is usually non-putrescible, sterile, inert
• Small disposal area required
• Cost can be offset by heat recovery/ sale of energy
Waste Incineration Disadvantages
High capital cost
Skilled operators are required
(particularly for boiler operations)
Some materials are noncombustible
Some material require
supplemental fuel
Waste Incineration Disadvantages
Air contaminant potential (MACT standards have
substantially reduced dioxin, WTE 19% of Hg
emissions in 1995 – 90% reduction since then)
Volume of gas from incineration is 10 x as great
as other thermochemical conversion processes,
greater cost for gas cleanup/pollution control
Public disapproval
Risk imposed rather than voluntary
Incineration will decrease property value
(perceived not necessarily true)
Distrust of government/industry ability to
regulate
Carbon and Energy
Considerations
Tonne of waste creates 3.5 MW of energy
during incineration (eq. to 300 kg of fuel oil)
powers 70 homes
Biogenic portion of waste is considered CO2
neutral (tree uses more CO2 during its
lifecycle than released during combustion)
Unlike biochemical conversion processes,
nonbiogenic CO2 is generated
Should not displace recycling
WTE Process
Three Ts
Time
Temperature
Turbulence
System Components
Refuse receipt/storage
Refuse feeding
Grate system
Air supply
Furnace
Boiler
Energy/Mass Balance
Energy Loss (Radiation)
Waste
Flue Gas
Mass Loss (unburned
C in Ash)
Flue Gas Pollutants
Particulates
Acid Gases
NOx
CO
Organic Hazardous Air Pollutants
Metal Hazardous Air Pollutants
Particulates
Solid
Condensable
Causes
–
–
–
–
Too low of a comb T (incomplete comb)
Insufficient oxygen or overabundant EA (too high T)
Insufficient mixing or residence time
Too much turbulence, entrainment of particulates
Control
– Cyclones - not effective for removal of small particulates
– Electrostatic precipitator
– Fabric Filters (baghouses)
Metals
Removed with particulates
Mercury remains volatilized
Tough to remove from flue gas
Remove source or use activated carbon
(along with dioxins)
Acid Gases
From Cl, S, N, Fl in refuse (in plastics,
textiles, rubber, yd waste, paper)
Uncontrolled incineration - 18-20% HCl with
pH 2
Acid gas scrubber (SO2, HCl, HFl) usually
ahead of ESP or baghouse
– Wet scrubber
– Spray dryer
– Dry scrubber injectors
Nitrogen removal
Source removal to avoid fuel NOx
production
T < 1500 F to avoid thermal NOx
Denox sytems - selective catalytic
reaction via injection of ammonia
Air Pollution Control
Remove certain waste components
Good Combustion Practices
Emission Control Devices
Devices
Electrostatic Precipitator
Baghouses
Acid Gas Scrubbers
– Wet scrubber
– Dry scrubber
– Chemicals added in slurry to neutralize acids
Activated Carbon
Selective Non-catalytic Reduction
Role of Excess Air – Control
Three Ts
Stoichiometric
T
Insufficient O2
Excess Air
Amount of Air Added
Role of Excess Air – Cont’d
Stoichiometric
Increasing Moisture
Insufficient O2
Excess Air
Amount of Air Added
Role of Excess Air – Cont’d
Stoichiometric
NOx
T
Optimum T
Range
(1500 – 1800 oF) PICs/Particulates
Insufficient O2
Excess Air
Amount of Air Added
Ash
Bottom Ash – recovered from combustion
chamber
Heat Recovery Ash – collected in the heat
recovery system (boiler, economizer,
superheater)
Fly Ash – Particulate matter removed prior to
sorbents
Air Pollution Control Residues – usually
combined with fly ash
Combined Ash – most US facilities
combine all ashes
Schematic Presentation of
Bottom Ash Treatment
Ash Reuse Options
Construction fill
Road construction
Landfill daily cover
Cement block production
Treatment of acid mine drainage
Refuse Boiler
Stack
Fabric Filter
Spray Dryer
Ash Conveyer
Metal Recovery
Mass Burn Facility – Pinellas County
Tipping
Floor
Overhead Crane
Turbine Generator
Fabric Filter
Conclusions
Combustion remains predominant thermal
technology for MSW conversion with
realized improvements in emissions
Gasification and pyrolysis systems now in
commercial scale operation but industry
still emerging
Improved environmental data needed on
operating systems
Comprehensive environmental or life cycle
assessments should be completed
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Updated August 2008