Economic and engineering analysis of a selected full-scale trommel screen operation

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5239973· OSTI ID:5239973

Hennon, G. J.; Fiscus, D. E.; Glaub, J. C.; Savage, G. M.

The trommel screen located at the Baltimore County municipal solid waste processing plant operated by Teledyne National was evaluated for a 1-year period. This trommel is used to remove noncombustibles from refuse derived fuel (RDF) and thereby reduce ash content and increase heating value of the RDF. The trommel is 8 m in length, 3.7 m in diameter, has 32-mm holes, and can be operated at 6 to 12 rpm. Economic operating and maintenance data were collected for the period November 1980 through October 1981. Trommel performance was measured during October 1980 and January, May, and August 1981 in order to determine performance during the four seasons of the year. Test runs were conducted to evaluate screening performance as a function of feedrate and rotational speed. Physically the trommel can convey infeed rates as high as 46 Mg/h, but screening efficiency decreases with increased feedrates. An infeed range of 7 to 13 Mg/h is practical as this insures the greatest probability of meeting fuel specifications and achieving optimum economic contribution. While high screening efficiencies can be achieved at low feedrates, the value of the heating value increase may not always offset the trommel cost below a feedrate of 5 mg/h. Seasonal variations occurred in the feed to the trommel, for example as a consequence of the higher percentage of lawn and garden waste present in spring and summer. Seasonal variations were manifested in varying particle size, ash content, moisture content, organic content, and heating value. However, no obvious trend of trommel performance versus season of the year was observed.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Inst., Kansas City, MO (USA); Cal Recovery Systems, Inc., Richmond, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-80CS24330
• OSTI ID: 5239973
• Report Number(s): DOE/CS/24330-T3; ON: DE84000423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320604* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Municipal Waste Management-- (1980-)
42 ENGINEERING
420900 -- Engineering-- Waste Processing Plants & Equipment-- (-1989)
CAPITAL
DISTRIBUTION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ENGINEERING
FEDERAL REGION III
FIELD TESTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MAINTENANCE
MARYLAND
NORTH AMERICA
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SCREENS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SIZE
TESTING
TROMMELS
USA
VARIATIONS
WASTE PROCESSING PLANTS