How a Waste-to-Energy Plant Works
Waste-to-energy (WTE) plants use high-temperature decomposition of waste to generate electricity. This process is known as waste-to-energy (WTE). The principle involves pre-treating the waste, then heating it through incineration, gasification, or pyrolysis to produce hot gases. These gases are then purified, and their heat is used to generate steam that drives turbines to generate electricity.
Process:
Waste pre-treatment: Incoming waste is sorted, shredded, and dried to remove recyclables and moisture. This ensures efficient combustion and consistent fuel quality.
Pyrolysis: Treated waste is fed into a reaction chamber where it undergoes thermal decomposition using one of the following methods:
Incineration: The waste is burned in the presence of oxygen to generate heat.
Gasification: The waste is decomposed into a synthetic gas (syngas) at high temperatures and controlled oxygen.
Pyrolysis: The waste is heated in the absence of oxygen to produce gas, oil, and char.
Energy conversion: The resulting hot gases, or syngas, are purified to remove contaminants.
The purified gas is used to boil water, generating high-pressure steam. Some advanced systems may burn the gas directly in a gas turbine to improve efficiency, as shown in the Fireprint.
Power Generation: The steam drives a turbine, which is connected to a generator, which produces electricity that is then fed into the national grid.
Residue Management: The ash and slag left over from this process can often be further processed for other uses, such as construction materials
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