Abstract

LOPEZ-OCANA, G et al. Combustion of municipal solid wastes in an experimental fluidized bed system. Universidad y ciencia [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.2, pp.89-100. ISSN 0186-2979.

Incineration via fluidized-bed combustion is a clean technology which is employed in the treatment of municipal solid waste (RSM) and its main capabilities are volume reduction and the possibility of energy recovery. In this context, the combustion efficiency and flue gas composition of an experimental fluidized-bed prototype were evaluated after RSM thermal treatment generated in Villahermosa , Tabasco. Five experimental tests were conducted by using RSM collected in the city downtown. The experimental tests were carried out under the following conditions: excess air of 281 %, bed particle size of 0.8 mm and static bed height of 0.2 m. The combustion efficiency varied from 54 to 82 % at a bed temperature between 770 and 914 °C, being significantly correlated to a minimum square regression model (R² = 0.87, p < 0.01). At bed temperatures lower than 800 °C, the RSM's composition and inhomogeneity affected the combustion efficiency (54 - 64%), giving rise to an increase in CO emissions (1 092 ppm). At bed temperatures greater than 850 °C, however, high combustion efficiencies (80 - 82%) were achieved with maximum SO₂ (55 ppm) and NO_x (32 ppm) emission levels complying with the maximum permissible levels established in the NOM-098-SEMARNAT-2002. The proposed experimental prototype was demonstrated to be both technically and environmentally feasible for RSM treatment via fluidized bed technology.

Keywords : Combustion efficiency; municipal solid waste; fluidized bed.