Characterization of fuel gas products from the treatment of solid waste streams with a plasma arc torch.
This work addresses the plasma treatment of two solid waste streams and production of fuel gases from the process. In this study, carpet waste and simulated solid wastes generated by a United States Air Force Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources Base deployment were used. Waste was treated in a furnace fitted with a 100kW plasma arc torch. The off gas was analyzed to determine its composition. The product gas was composed primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, with small amounts of methane, benzene and toluene also detected. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of producing fuel gases by plasma treatment of the solid waste streams. While the thermal energy value of the fuel gas produced in these experiments was less than the energy input, a higher waste-to-fuel gas conversion efficiency is expected in full-scale application.
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA. dvq3@cdc.gov
Ambarish
A
Vaidyanathan
James
J
Mulholland
Jaeyong
J
Ryu
Michael Stuart
MS
Smith
Louis J
LJ
Circeo
D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources / Q000379:methods*; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D017745:Incineration; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis; D014481:United States
D005579:Fossil Fuels; D005740:Gases; D014050:Toluene; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D006859:Hydrogen; D001554:Benzene; D008697:Methane