Abstract

The present Ph.D. research has made important contributions towards the optimization of light packaging waste to energy alternative processes such as pyrolysis and gasification. Over more the development of an original integrated municipal solid waste scenario model that integrates the experimental results obtained in the thesis have a practical meaning suitable for large scale application. The experimental study of light packaging waste pyrolysis has brought some valuable information on: mass variation and balance (the results can be applied on a kinetic model development), activation energy, energy potential of solid and liquid by-products and chemical composition of solid and liquid pyrolysis products. The optimal temperature for light packaging waste pyrolysis (paper, cardboard and plastics) was established to be more than 500°C. This experimental study leads to the optimisation of air gasification process parameters at industrial scale in a rotary reactor lab-pilot installation using light packaging waste mixtures. It was concluded that hhigher equivalent ration lowers the gas quality because of oxidization reactions at occurs at the being of the process. Without taking into account the CnHm hydrocarbons except CH4, in the present experiments the syngas low heating value will reach to its maximum at 5600 Nm3/kgpackaging waste at 900°C with an equivalent rate(ER) of 0.2. The solid residue is composed by char and ash and reaches to its maxim of 17 % from the initial feed input at 800°C and 0.2 ER. At 800 °C the gas flow rate and ER ranging between 0.2 -0.3 is 1.5-1.99 Nm3/kg . As it was expected, the gas yield increases with the increasing of temperature and gasifying agent. At 900 °C and 0.2-0.3 ER the gas flow rate registered varies between 1.58-2.1 Nm3/kg packaging waste. The novelty of the research in given by the development of a flexible and environmental friendly integrated municipal solid waste scenario model. The system model combines the selective collection rate, recycling processes, advanced mechanical sorting, solid recovered fuel production and proposes two waste to energy recovery facilities (combustion or gasification). The analyzed system complies with the EU principle of biodegradable materials minimization and is in agreement with the principle of adopting energy recovery after the implementation of material recycling options. In all cases studied, the analyzed integrated municipal solid waste system (IMSWS) minimizes the landfilling of materials and increases the energetic potential of the waste sent to energy recovery.