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PAGMaW. Plasma Arc Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste Thesis Presentation April 2 , 2014 Celerick Stephens Masters Management (Marketing) Masters Engineering Science (Sustainability). Agenda. PAGMaW. Plasma gasification process overview Benefits of plasma gasification of waste
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PAGMaW Plasma Arc Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste Thesis Presentation April 2, 2014 Celerick Stephens Masters Management (Marketing) Masters Engineering Science (Sustainability)
Agenda PAGMaW • Plasma gasification process overview • Benefits of plasma gasification of waste • Application and benefits of technology • Modeling the process • Results • Conclusions
Overview What is plasma • Fourth state of matter • Ionized gas in which the number of free electrons nearly equals the number of free ions • Electric arcs • Neon bulbs • Lightning
Overview What is Plasma Gasification • Gasification is the process of changing matter into a useful fuel-gas (syngas) • Plasma gasification is applying high-energy plasma to gasify any solid • Plasma gasification • Severs molecular bonds of solids • Releases elemental gases and solids • Vitrifies precipitate solids • Allows for high temperature recombination of gases
Benefits of Waste Gasification Plasma Gasification of Waste • Reduces/eliminates need for solid waste disposal • Vitrified waste is reduced (>90% reduction in solids) • Produces low-heating value “natural” gas (syngas) useful for power/heat production • Reduces carbon footprint • Reduces release of harmful products • Dioxins nearly eliminated (ppb) • Vitrified wastes make harmful agents inert • Nuclear waste conversion • Biologically hazardous waste conversion
Application of Technology Plasma Process In Real-World Usage • 13 commissioned sites worldwide • Europe • Japan • United States • Hawaii* • Proven energy production exceeds energy requirements
Application of Technology Scaling the Technology • Unique application of technology on a smaller scale From 250 tons/day to 7 tons/day (or smaller) • Community Waste Disposal • Reduces waste transport energy • Reduces electrical transmission waste • Reduces cost of operation • Reduces electrical consumption • Supplements community heating Fast Facts • Americans generate 4 lbstrash/day • 60% of MSW is landfilled (145 million tons) • We can bury Rhode Island each year (1-foot) • We use 1.5 billion gallons of fuel/yrto haul trash (1.4 million average daily drivers) • 10% of the power produced is wasted in delivery (400 million MW-hrs/year) • US Line loss can power • Powers NYC for 35 yrsor • Powers France for 1 year (10th largest consumer of electrical power in the world)
Application of Technology The Future Need • Economists show the United States as the Middle Class Model • Trends indicate unsustainable nature in energy consumption • Power cannot be created fast enough to match demand • Waste cannot be disposed fast enough to match demand
Modeling the Process Scaled Plasma Gasification of Community Waste Functional Basis • Waste stream • Plasma process • Power process • Energy generation
Modeling the Process Scaled Plasma Gasification of Community Waste
Thermochemical Analysis Gasification Process
Thermochemical Analysis Gasification Process Chemical equilibrium evaluation • Molecular decomposition of the waste stream • Proximate analysis • Ultimate analysis • Mass Balance • Molecular balance of constituents • Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, • Soot (metals/glass) • Water (moisture content) • Heat Balance • Heat capacities • Heats of formation • HHV refuse derived fuel • Products of equilibrium is syngas • CO, CO2, H20, H2, CH4
Gasification Modeling Results • Process independent of gasification temperature • Process scalable to waste stream input • Optimized waste recycling content apparent
Gasification Modeling Results
Gasification Modeling Results
Facility Modeling Scaled-Distributed Plasma Gasification of Community Waste • Waste stream • Plasma process • Power process • Net generation
Facility Modeling Results
Completing the Analysis Next Steps • Complete energy cycle analysis • H2 Fuel Cell Integration • Waste stream size to support facility (net zero) • Waste stream size to support community (net zero) • Document challenges • Facility complexity • Noise • Location • Maintenance • Complexity of byproduct recycling • High temperature materials discharge • Waste gas reuse • Sour gas elimination