A review of technologies and performances of thermal treatment systems for energy recovery from waste. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lombardi, Lidia; Carnevale, Ennio; Corti, Andrea
• Is Part Of: Waste management. Volume 37(2015)
• Page Start: 26
• Page End: 44
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: ASR automotive shredded residues -- C&IW commercial & industrial waste -- CHP Combined Heat and Power -- DMS direct melting system -- EfW Energy from Waste -- FBC fluidized bed combustor -- FGR Flue Gas Recirculation -- FGT flue gas treatment -- GT gas turbine -- GTCC gas turbine combined cycle -- HHV Higher Heating Value -- HT high temperature -- HW hazardous waste -- ICE internal combustion engine -- IHW Industrial Hazardous Waste -- IW Industrial Waste -- LCA Life Cycle Assessment -- LHV Lower Heating Value -- LT low temperature -- MBT Mechanical Biological Treatment -- MSW Municipal Solid Waste -- P pressure -- Pcond condenser pressure -- Pel electrical power output -- Pth thermal power input -- RDF Refuse Derived Fuel -- SC separate collection -- SCR selective catalytic reduction -- SEP specific electricity production -- SHP specific heat production -- SNCR selective non-catalytic reduction -- SRF Solid Refuse Fuel -- T temperature -- Tout gas temperature at boiler outlet -- WtE Waste to Energy -- ηel electric efficiency -- ηth thermal efficiency; Waste-to-Energy -- Energy efficiency -- Combustion -- Incineration -- Gasification -- Pyrolysis; Hazardous wastes -- Periodicals; Refuse and refuse disposal -- Periodicals; 363.728
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2014.11.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-053X

Abstract

Highlights: The topic of energy recovery from waste by thermal treatment is reviewed. Combustion, gasification and pyrolysis were considered. Data about energy recovery performances were collected and compared. Main limitations to high values of energy performances were illustrated. Diffusion of energy recovery from waste in EU, USA and other countries was discussed. Abstract: The aim of this work is to identify the current level of energy recovery through waste thermal treatment. The state of the art in energy recovery from waste was investigated, highlighting the differences for different types of thermal treatment, considering combustion/incineration, gasification and pyrolysis. Also different types of wastes – Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) or Solid Refuse Fuels (SRF) and some typologies of Industrial Waste (IW) (sludge, plastic scraps, etc.) – were included in the analysis. The investigation was carried out mainly reviewing papers, published in scientific journals and conferences, but also considering technical reports, to gather more information. In particular the goal of this review work was to synthesize studies in order to compare the values of energy conversion efficiencies measured or calculated for different types of thermal processes and different types of waste. It emerged that the dominant type of thermal treatment is incineration associated to energy recovery in a steam cycle. When waste gasification is applied, the produced syngas is generally combusted in a boiler to generate steam for energy recovery in a steam cycle. For both the possibilities – incineration or gasification – cogeneration is the mean to improve energy recovery, especially for small scale plants. In the case of only electricity production, the achievable values are strongly dependent on the plant size: for large plant size, where advanced technical solutions can be applied and sustained from an economic point of view, net electric efficiency may reach values up to 30–31%. In small-medium plants, net electric efficiency is constrained by scale effect and remains at values around 20–24%. Other types of technical solutions – gasification with syngas use in internally fired devices, pyrolysis and plasma gasification – are less common or studied at pilot or demonstrative scale and, in any case, offer at present similar or lower levels of energy efficiency.