Dep. Eletrônica Quântica/Inst.

de Física – UERJ
Sociedade Fluminense de Energia/Eletrobolt

¾ Prof. Dr. Armando Dias Tavares Jr.

¾ Prof. Dr. Carlos Augusto de Azevedo

 Waste Plasma
Treatment and
Renewable Energy
Generation
 Plasma processing
• Introduction
– Need of processes joining waste treatment and energy
generation;
– Final products valuable & inoffensive.

• Plasma
– Highly ionized gas;
– Most matter in the Universe is in the plasma form

• “Low” temperature plasmas

– High density/pressure;
– “Low” useful temperatures: 2,000 to 10,000 °K
Plasma Torch
 Renewable energy by plasma conversion of
MSW and other biomass rich waste I

Conventional energy generation

Biomass Energy
Solar Energy
Generation

CO2
 Renewable energy by plasma conversion of
MSW and other biomass rich waste II
Plasma aided energy generation

Solar energy Biomass & Biomass wastes

CO2

Energy Plasma
Generation Treatment

Byproducts:Chemicals,
Aggregates etc...
 Plasma pyrolysis
• Concept
– Waste is heated by plasma torches in a starving (little
O2) atmosphere;
– Exhaust rich syn gases are cooled and treated to be used
in a gas turbine;
– Syn gas (CO + H2) is a raw material for many
applications
• Applications
– All organic materials and waste not contaminated with
toxic substancies or heavy metals;
– Green wastes: sugar cane bagasse, green leaves etc
• Costs
– Plant should be able to generate energy
– Appropriate process design can generate profits.
Waste treatment & energy generation by plasma pyrolysis
Waste treatment &energy generation by plasma pyrolysis
 Plasma gasification
• Concept
– Waste is first heated until complete vaporization; then,
vapour is recirculated through plasma torch being
decomposed to periodic table elements.
• Applications
– Highly toxic wastes: Askarel; BHC ......
– Chemical weapons;
– Complex molecules with chlorine and fluorine.....
• Costs
– High, but still lower than other more conventional
processes.
– Excess energy can be generated in the process.....
Waste treatment by plasma gasification diagram
Waste treatment by plasma gasification diagram
 Discussion & Conclusions I
• Process advantages

– Clean technology;
– It can treat waste at high rates;
– Final products non toxic and inert;
– Valuable final by products result;
– Energy can be generated or stocked as syn gas or ethanol;
– Can treat organic waste generating energy and at the
same time treat other wastes (a valuable way to use the
energy generated in the process) ;
– Recovers at least a fraction of the energy used to conform
many modern implements;
– ----------?
 Discussion & Conclusions II
• Process drawbacks

– High technologies involved in the process;

– Highly trained personnel;
– Process must be real time attended;
– Efficiency depends on the waste [breakeven point for
domestic waste is (?) ~ 1000 tons/day)]
– Plant tailoring is complex ⇒ Efficiency
– High initial investment depending of the specific
situation.
 Conclusion

To face the real problems the

entire world is now passing, we
must appeal to technology
again but now to the cleansing
ones.
 d
e en
Th