TY - JOUR

T1 - Gas evolution and syngas heating value from advanced thermal treatment of waste using microwave-induced plasma

AU - Lupa, Chris

AU - Wylie, Stephen

AU - Shaw, Andrew

AU - Al-Shamma'a, Ahmed

AU - Sweetman, Andrew

AU - Herbert, Ben

PY - 2013/2

Y1 - 2013/2

N2 - It is a well-understood phenomenon that the use of diminishing fossil fuels is causing disturbances in atmospheric dynamics. This coupled with global population growth has resulted in increased energy demands, and increased waste loads. In order to tackle both important issues, energy-from-waste (EfW) technologies have been of great interest to the industry sector. Moreover, recently implemented fiscal incentives have significantly reduced investor risk, and incentivised deployment. A novel EfW technology known as ‘plasma-arc’ can be considered as one of the most effective methods for the thermal treatment of waste. However, due to the exceptionally high operating and maintenance costs, it is being discredited by some for its commercial viability. Microwave-induced plasma, a novel method of producing high temperature plasma, is much more energy efficient and so has the potential to be a commercially viable treatment route for residual wastes. This study investigates the evolution, and heating value, of syngas derived from microwave-induced plasma pyrolysis of waste. Three triplicate commercial and industrial waste samples were treated under pyrolysis conditions for 25 minutes. Analysed gasses included CO, CO2, H2O, CH4, C2H2 and many other hydrocarbons. CO, CO2, and H2O accounted for >90% of the detected gas mass, with only small amounts of hydrocarbons. Most gas species exhibited a similar evolutionary signature: rapid increase to production peak at approximately 200 s, followed by a steady decline until 2000 s. Preliminary gasification trials showed a large increase in gas mass with the addition of oxygen, and a change in the gas evolution signature. Syngas heating value was determined to range from 11.39 MJ/Nm3 to 17.44 MJ/Nm3, consistent with other pyrolysis studies.

AB - It is a well-understood phenomenon that the use of diminishing fossil fuels is causing disturbances in atmospheric dynamics. This coupled with global population growth has resulted in increased energy demands, and increased waste loads. In order to tackle both important issues, energy-from-waste (EfW) technologies have been of great interest to the industry sector. Moreover, recently implemented fiscal incentives have significantly reduced investor risk, and incentivised deployment. A novel EfW technology known as ‘plasma-arc’ can be considered as one of the most effective methods for the thermal treatment of waste. However, due to the exceptionally high operating and maintenance costs, it is being discredited by some for its commercial viability. Microwave-induced plasma, a novel method of producing high temperature plasma, is much more energy efficient and so has the potential to be a commercially viable treatment route for residual wastes. This study investigates the evolution, and heating value, of syngas derived from microwave-induced plasma pyrolysis of waste. Three triplicate commercial and industrial waste samples were treated under pyrolysis conditions for 25 minutes. Analysed gasses included CO, CO2, H2O, CH4, C2H2 and many other hydrocarbons. CO, CO2, and H2O accounted for >90% of the detected gas mass, with only small amounts of hydrocarbons. Most gas species exhibited a similar evolutionary signature: rapid increase to production peak at approximately 200 s, followed by a steady decline until 2000 s. Preliminary gasification trials showed a large increase in gas mass with the addition of oxygen, and a change in the gas evolution signature. Syngas heating value was determined to range from 11.39 MJ/Nm3 to 17.44 MJ/Nm3, consistent with other pyrolysis studies.

KW - Pyrolysis

KW - Gasification

KW - Waste

KW - Microwave Plasma

KW - Syngas

KW - Calorific Value

U2 - 10.1016/j.renene.2012.09.006

DO - 10.1016/j.renene.2012.09.006

M3 - Journal article

VL - 50

SP - 1065

EP - 1072

JO - Renewable Energy

JF - Renewable Energy

SN - 0960-1481

ER -