Fine grain separation for the production of biomass fuel from mixed municipal solid waste

- Biomass fuel out of MSW suitable for the use in biomass power plants.
- Input demonstration plant of 10 t/h dried MSW.
- Enrichment of biogenic material into the fine fractions <40 mm by sieving.
- Three experimental process setups of different processing depths were tested.
- Successful production, calorific values above 12,000 kJ/kg, fossil content rd. 5%.

The main goal of the project MARSS (Material Advanced Sustainable Systems) is to build a demonstration plant in order to recover a renewable biomass fuel suitable for the use in biomass power plants out of mixed municipal solid waste (MMSW). The demonstration plant was constructed in Mertesdorf (Germany), working alongside an existing mechanical-biological treatment plant, where the MMSW is biological dried under aerobe conditions in rotting boxes. The focus of the presented sorting campaign was set on the processing of fine grain particles minor than 11.5 mm which have the highest mass content and biogenic energy potential of the utilized grain size fractions. The objective was to produce a biomass fuel with a high calorific value and a low content of fossil (plastic, synthetic) materials while maximizing the mass recovery. Therefore, the biogenic components of the dried MMSW are separated from inert and fossil components through various classification and sifting processes. In three experimental process setups of different processing depths, the grain size fraction 4-11.5 mm was sifted by the use of air sifters and air tables.