For Waste to Energy, Assessment of Fluff Type Solid Refuse Fuel by Thermal Characteristics Analyses

Waste to energy could be one of the greatest sources of renewable energy in Korea, especially municipal solid waste as it has high heat recovery rate and high energy density. Various types of waste to energy technology exist, including refining of waste oil, plastic pyrolysis, recovery of waste heat and SRF (Solid Refuse Fuel). Main advantages of waste to energy are commercialization in a short period and treatment of waste alongside energy recovery.SRF could be made from various source including MSW (Municipal Solid Waste), plastic, wood etc.SRF is also used as an auxiliary fuel of fossil fuel for cement kiln plants. Depending on theshape SRF could be fluff type and pellet type. Manufacturing processes of fluff type SRF are composed to screening and drying stages. In this study, an assessment on fluff type SRF made of MSW was conducted by thermal characteristics analyses. Thermal characteristics analyses include elementary analysis, TG (Thermogravimetry) analysis, HHV (Higher Heating Value) measurement and proximate analysis. For comparison, SRF with other fuel samples such as biomass, and coal were selected and we evaluated to determine whether SRF is good as fuel or not. In this experiment, representative of fossil fuel was bituminous coal and representative of biomass was EFB (Empty Fruit Bunch). Results of different characteristics analyses of fluff type SRF compared to other fuels, the feasibility of fluff type SRF to use as alternative fuels by waste to energy technology was good enough.