This document discusses plasma gasification as a renewable approach for managing organic waste. It notes that 1 ton of solid waste can generate 200-300 cubic meters of landfill gas containing methane, which can be used to generate energy. The document outlines the plasma gasification process, which gasifies waste at high temperatures into syngas that can then be used to generate electricity. It describes the system components and notes the benefits of plasma gasification include complete waste destruction, maximum energy recovery, and an environmentally friendly process with no hazardous emissions.

1. Plasma Gasification Application in Organic Waste
Management, a Renewable Green Energy Approach
S T R I C T L Y P R I V A T E & C O N F I D E N T I A L
Prof. Dr. Mamdouh F. Abdel-Sabour
Environmental Consultant
International Innovative Environmental Solution Center
(IIESC)
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mamdouh_Abdel-Sabour
http://sa.linkedin.com/pub/mamdouh-sabour/2a/999/444/
wise2007egy@yahoo.co; mamsabfan@yahoo.com

2. S T R I C T L Y P R I V A T E & C O N F I D E N T I A L
 The sustainable strategy for the waste management is to improve waste
treatment in the aim to reduce their landfill disposal and minimize the
environmental impact. For few years, wastes became one of the renewable
resources that could play a major role in renewable energy.
 1 ton of solid waste generate 200 – 300 m3 of landfill gas
 1 m3 of landfill gas contains 0.5 m3 of natural gas which could be used as a fuel to
generate 5 kWh energy.
 1 ton of CH4 after combustion will generate 24 ton of CO2
Traditional MSW management became
more expensive and less convenient.
The objective is :
To reduce generated waste,
Improve its management,
Increase recycling,
Achieve energy recovery and
Reduce landfilling (Zero landfill
approach).

3. S T R I C T L Y P R I V A T E & C O N F I D E N T I A L
 Various thermal processes, like combustion, pyrolysis or gasification have
been developed for treating these wastes in the aim to recover energy from
the organic fraction.

4. □ All Organic Material is Gasified to form a Synthetic Gas (“Syngas”). In
plasma gasification the waste input is gasified by the high temperature
into its constituent elements: H2, O2, C, N2 etc. The converter conditions
are controlled so that prior to exit, the elements reform into the desired
syngas that is rich in CO and H2.
The gasification process occurs as the char reacts with carbon and
steam to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen, via the reaction
In addition, the reversible gas phase water gas shift reaction
reaches equilibrium very fast at the temperatures in a gasifier. This
balances the concentrations of carbon monoxide, steam, carbon
dioxide and hydrogen.
□ Calorific Energy and Sensible Heat from the Syngas is Recovered and
transformed into Electrical Energy
Technology Application

5. □ Vitrified slag produced from a
variety of waste materials have
been shown to be non-leachable
by the Toxicity Characteristic
Leaching Procedure. In the case of
low level radioactive materials or
mixed waste the radio nuclides
which are trapped in the solid
residue are also in a stable, non-
leachable form.
Technology Application

6. Technology Application
Advanced Thermal Gasification System
Heat Source is from Plasma Torch
Plasma technology provides another means of
producing and transferring heat to waste materials.
Unlike combustion, no oxygen is required to produce
the heat. The gas stream produced is much smaller than
with combustion technology and, therefore, can be
easier and less expensive to manage.

7. Technology Application
In various design configurations,
plasma technology units can be used
on a wide variety of wastes, and can
either destroy toxicity or produce a
product from the treatment of waste
materials. Plasma units can be
operated in a manner that has fewer
impacts on the environment than
conventional thermal destruction
technologies, such as lower air
emissions and a stable vitrified
residue.

8. Waste Receiving, Sorting and RDF Production

9. A Waste-to-Energy Incinerator with Pollution Controls
One tonne of waste creates 3.5 MW of energy during incineration (eq.
to 300 kg of fuel oil) powers 70 homes

10. Gasification of the Waste

11. Temperature Profile
Inside the Advanced Thermal Gasification Reactor
SYNGAS EXIT
1,200 – 1,400O
C
GASIFICATION
3,000 – 1,400O
C
SYNGAS RETENTION
3,000 – 1,400O
C
CARBON BED
5,000 – 3,000O
C
THERMAL ENERGY INPUT
5,000 – 3,000O
C

12. Cooling – Filtration - HCl Absorption
BAG FILTER
INDUCED
DRAFT
BLOWER
PARTICULATE
COLLECTION
CONVEYOR
Particulates to
Particulate Storage
PROCESS
WATER
HCl
ABSORBER
SATURATOR
RECUPERATOR
ACTIVATED
CARBON
FILTER
CAUSTIC TANK
CAUSTIC SODA
FEED
PROCESS
WATER
TO WASTE WATER
TREATMENT
SYNGAS TO
BOILERS
SynGas from
WHSG

13. HP CONDENSATE
KNOCK-OUT
DRUM
HP SYNGAS
COMPRESSOR
RECUPERATOR
CONDENSATE
PUMP
CONDITIONED GAS TO
POWER GENERATION
LP SYNGAS
COMPRESSOR
ESD VALVE
EMERGENCY FLARE
BLOWER
LP CONDENSATE
KNOCK-OUT DRUM
CONDENSATE
PUMP
CONDENSATE
PUMP
SYNGAS TO
QUENCH
FROM GAS
CLEAN-UP
Gas Compression and Conditioning

14. Steam Cycle Power Generation

15. PLANT AIR, NITROGEN &
OXYGEN PRODUCTION
PLANT COOLING &
CONDENSING SYSTEMS
PLANT CCR, DCS & DATA
ACQUISITION
GAS & FIRE DETECTION
FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEMS
WATER & EFFLUENT
TREATMENT
DE-MINERALISED WATER
SYSTEM
PLANT POWER GENERATION &
DISTRIBUTION

16. Technology improvement naturally draws increased capital cost but …
the environmental and health improvements supersede the conventional
waste disposal technology
Dumping Landfill Sanitary
Landfill
Incinerator Gasification
Advanced Thermal
Gasification System
Water source
contamination
Air pollution
impacts
Overall
environmental
costs
Various waste
disposal
technologies
Uncontrolled leachate: high risk
of water contamination
Moderate risk of water
contamination
Controlled leachate:
Minimised water contamination
Moderate to high risk of air
pollution from methane
Moderate risk of air
pollution from methane
Risk of air pollution from
furans & dioxins presents
No risk of
air pollution
Prospect for
energy
recovery
No prospect of recovery of
energy waste
Minimal prospect of recovery
of energy from waste
HIGH
High prospect of recovery of energy waste
(energy recovery is maximised)
MODERATE LOW NEGLIGLIBLE
Tipping Fees
per Ton
Benefits of WTE

17.  Multiple feedstock capability
 Capable of receiving, handling, processing and disposing, different types of
wastes (e.g., MSW, IHW) concurrently.
 Complete destruction of wastes
 Plasma gasification process is a NO BURN process hence, it does produce
residuals, i.e., fly & bottom ashes as typically found with incinerators.
 Fly & bottom ashes are harmful, may contain heavy metals and require secure
landfilling. Since plasma gasification does not produced ash, landfilling will no
longer be a requirement.
 Maximum energy recovery from wastes
 Plasma gasification process is designed and engineered to ensure efficient energy
recovery from wastes.
 Environmentally friendly
 Operating at temperature range of about 3,000oC in the Gasification Zone in an
oxygen starved environment, are realised in the plasma reactor therefore, plasma
gasification process presents no opportunity for formation of hazardous flue
gases, e.g., dioxin & furans, SOx and Nox.
Summary of Benefits
Advanced Thermal Gasification System

18. Clean Development Mechanism under Kyoto Protocol
 Capable for qualification as CDM project, i.e., reduction of emission
of methane typically from landfills and reduction of CO2 emission
from avoidance of use of fossil fuels for power generation.
 The main component of landfill gas are methane and carbon dioxide.
Both components contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect
and are chiefly responsible for global temperature rise.
Summary of Benefits
Advanced Thermal Gasification System