Title:
Energy Valorization from Landfill Reclamation in Terms of High Quality Refuse Derived Fuel
Author(s):
Laohalidanond, K., Losangwal, P., Akarathanaapinan, R., Unphaiboonwong, W., Kerdsuwan, S.
Document(s):
Paper
Poster
Abstract:
Fossil fuel depletion, reflected by higher prices, poses an obstacle to the world economy, especially of the non-oil producer countries. Many countries tend to shift towards alternative energy sources. Municipal solid waste (MSW) is considered an alternative energy source since it contains a high composition of combustible materials. However, MSW collected directly from households without separation at source has high moisture content and low heating value, making it a low-grade fuel. This study focuses on upgrading the quality of MSW by converting it to Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF). One possibility for upgrading the fuel properties of MSW is through biological and mechanical processes. In practice, landfilling MSW for a long time acts as a biological process. The old MSW is excavated from the landfill (landfill reclamation), and hence only a mechanical process is required to produce high-quality RDF. The physical and chemical composition, as well as the heating value, of reclaimed MSW at different depths were investigated and compared with those of raw MSW. Reclaimed MSW is then mechanically processed to be converted into RDF. The obtained RDF is course-RDF. In this study, the physical and chemical composition of RDF, as well as its heating value, is analyzed and compared with that of old MSW reclaimed from a landfill. The results show that old MSW reclaimed from landfill contains no organic waste. The main composition is plastic and soil-like materials. After mechanical processing, the plastic content increases from 49% wt. in old MSW to 69% wt. in RDF, whilst the soil-like material slightly decreases from 32% wt.. of old MSW to 24%wt. in RDF. The Higher Heating Value (HHV) increased by approximately 146%, jumping from 7,773 kJ/kg in fresh waste to over 20,000 kJ/kg in reclaimed samples, which is good for using as high-quality fuel in a power plant to substitute the use of fossil fuel, hence, reducing the global warming effect as a consequence.
Keywords:
fuel, greenhouse gases (GHG), municipal solid waste (MSW), landfill
Topic:
Sustainable Resources for Decarbonising the Economy
Subtopic:
Municipal and industrial wastes
Event:
34th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1DV.6.6
Pages:
199 - 202
ISBN:
978-88-89407-27-1
Paper DOI:
10.5071/34thEUBCE2026-1DV.6.6
Price:
FREE
