Quick Glance at MSW-to-Energy Systems

waste-dump

Reduction in the volume and mass of solid waste is a crucial issue especially in the light of limited availability of final disposal sites in many parts of the world. Waste-to-Energy (WTE) or Energy-from-Waste (EfW) is the use of modern combustion and biochemical technologies to recover energy, usually in the form of electricity and steam, from urban […]

Gasification of Tannery Wastes

tannery-waste-management

Wastes generated by the leather processing industries pose a major challenge to the environment. According to conservative estimates, about 600,000 tons per year of solid waste are generated worldwide by leather industry and approximately 40–50% of the hides are lost to shavings and trimmings. Everyday a huge quantity of solid waste, including trimmings of finished […]

The Promise of Biochar and Bio Oil

biomass pyrolysis

Biomass pyrolysis transforms organic material such as agricultural residues and wood chips into three main components: syngas, bio-oil and biochar (which contain about 60 per cent of the carbon contained in the biomass. Biomass pyrolysis process can be used to sequester the carbon and  remove circulating carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in virtually […]

Exploring Gasification of Municipal Solid Wastes

Gasification-Schematic

Gasification of municipal solid wastes involve the reaction of carbonaceous feedstock with an oxygen-containing reagent, usually oxygen, air, steam or carbon dioxide, generally at temperatures in excess of 800°C. It involves the partial oxidation of a substance which implies that oxygen is added but the amounts are not sufficient to allow the fuel to be completely […]

Pathways for Waste-to-Energy Conversion

WTE systems

The conversion of waste-to-energy can proceed along three main pathways – thermochemical, biochemical and physicochemical. Thermochemical conversion, characterized by higher temperature and conversion rates, is best suited for lower moisture feedstock and is generally less selective for products. On the other hand, biochemical technologies are more suitable for wet wastes which are rich in organic […]

Woody Biomass as a Source of Renewable Energy

wood

A wide range of woody biomass resources are available for conversion into renewable energy in natural forests, rural areas and cities. There are many ways to generate electricity from woody biomass using thermochemical pathway, including directly-fired or conventional steam approach, co-firing, pyrolysis and gasification. Direct Firing Most of the woody biomass-to-energy plants use direct-fired system […]

What You Need to Know About Waste-to-Energy Processes?

WTE systems

A wide variety of waste-to-energy processes are available for realizing the potential of waste as an energy source, ranging from very simple systems for disposing of dry waste to more complex technologies capable of dealing with large amounts of municipal and industrial waste. These methods can be broadly divided into thermal and biological processes. Some […]

Introduction to Biomass Pyrolysis

figure01

Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of biomass occurring in the absence of oxygen. It is the fundamental chemical reaction that is the precursor of both the combustion and gasification processes and occurs naturally in the first two seconds. The products of biomass pyrolysis include biochar, bio-oil and gases including methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon […]