Efficient Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste in Incinerators for Energy Production

MSW generation has increased drastically throughout the world surpassing the ability of municipalities to handle it. Treating waste in incinerators with energy recovery have been opted as an environmentally preferred method of waste management. However, waste incineration result in inefficient energy generation. The objective of this chapter is to provide a summary of issues leading to inefficient treatment of MSW and the potentials for improving it. High-temperature corrosion and ash-deposition on heat exchange surfaces are the major causes of inefficiency during waste incineration. Optimizing the operating conditions during incineration reduces the deterrent corrosion and ash deposition problems. The operating conditions can be optimized by conducting a kinetic modelling which identifies the conditions that reduces corrosion rate. These conditions are moisture content ~10 vol.% and SO2 ~250 ppm. Also, use of ecotubes and sergher-boiler prisms ensures high turbulence and mixing within the boiler which reduces the ash problems, thereby improving the incineration efficiency. Sorting of MSW using max Al robotic sorter and removal of alkali chlorides in waste through the use of sink-float process, centrifuge and hydrocyclone separation technologies lowers chlorine load hence lowering the severe ash problems and proves to be beneficial in improving the efficiency of treating MSW in incinerators.