Municipal waste-to-energy technology assessment

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5909304

Barrett, R E; Krause, Jr, H H; Engdahl, R B; Levy, A; Oxley, J H ^[1]

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1. Battelle Columbus Div., OH (United States)

Two major technologies are available to burn municipal solid waste (MSW) to generate steam for the production of electricity: mass-burn and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) systems. Mass-burn systems process as-received waste directly in a combustor, such as a reciprocating, rotary, or roller-grate furnace, with only limited removal of undesirable objects. Refuse-derived-fuel (RDF) systems first process the waste to produce refuse-derived fuel via shredding and other operations before combustion in spreader-stoker, fluidized-bed, and other suitable combustors. Although mass-burn systems with specially designed grates are now considered proven technology, there is much interest in RDF systems, because RDF can be used in a wide range of combustors, including some utility power plants of conventional design. However, a number of technical issues remain for both mass-burn and RDF-firing systems, and further research is warranted. Disposal of the ash residues from the combustor and/or the waste from the air-pollution control equipment is a major issue preventing more widespread use of this technology. Selection of materials of construction is also an important issue. Continuous-emission-monitoring requirements may be exceeding the technical capabilities for reliable, long-term operation. The occasional receipt of biologically active waste or waste containing heavy metals is still a troublesome issue. Dioxin emissions seem to be a problem only in plants of early design, although the issue of dioxin emissions continues to be a major one in permit applications and public relations. 58 refs., 28 figs., 16 tabs.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Battelle Columbus Div., OH (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: EPRI; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5909304
• Report Number(s): EPRI-TR-100058
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
09 BIOMASS FUELS
ASHES
WASTE DISPOSAL
FLY ASH
MUNICIPAL WASTES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
REFUSE DERIVED FUELS
COMBUSTION
SOLID WASTES
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
BAGHOUSES
COCOMBUSTION
CORROSION
DIOXIN
DRY SCRUBBERS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FLUIDIZED BED REFUSE GASIFICATION
FLUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTORS
PARTICULATES
RECYCLING
REFUSE-FUELED POWER PLANTS
RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITIES
SLAGGING PYROLYSIS PROCESS
STATISTICAL DATA
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WASTE STORAGE
AEROSOL WASTES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
COMBUSTORS
CONTROL
DATA
ENERGY FACILITIES
EQUIPMENT
FUELS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PARTICLES
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
POWER PLANTS
PROCESSING
RESIDUES
SCRUBBERS
STORAGE
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE PROCESSING PLANTS
WASTES
320604* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- Municipal Waste Management- (1980-)
320305 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Industrial Waste Management
090900 - Biomass Fuels- Processing- (1990-)
095000 - Biomass Fuels- Environmental Aspects- (1990-)