Contribution to advances in waste-to-energy technologies

This paper presents a number of recent advances in technologies and improvements in units for the thermal processing of municipal solid waste (MSW) and various other types of waste. The focus is on the 'waste-to-energy' approach; various criteria for this approach are discussed, as well as the inconsistent attitudes about waste management approaches that are present in various countries in the European Union. The presented achievements include low-NOx burners, improved efficiency, heat exchangers, waste heat recovery systems, newly developed equipment for wet scrubbing, dioxin filters and systems for the treatment of sewage sludge. A new concept for a regional Waste-to-Energy Centre (WTEC) is outlined, the design of which is based on a combination of experience, know-how and a sophisticated approach. The proposed WFEC will use up-to-date technologies and will provide an adequate response to the growing population and rising standards of living as well to increasingly stringent environmental regulatory standards. Utilization of computational methods such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for design optimisation and/or for troubleshooting is demonstrated with examples (flue gas duct, burner, combustion chamber). Several examples from industrial applications are summarized. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.