Municipal Solid Waste (Alternative Energy)?

Question

I am currently working on a project involving Municipal Solid Waste (alternative energy source.)

The process is called "waste-to-energy." I need help in defining the future of this process. I have tried Google and I can't seem to find anything and I am willing to hear from anyone who knows anything about the future of "waste-to-energy." (Preferably in the United States.)

Thanks.

Answer 1

Municipal waste facilities are a treasure trove of methane gases, among other toxic gases that are burnable, but different degrees  to how explosive they would be. At any rate the EPA will probably want all gases separated, like is currently done in oil refining..  

What is needed is a design that greatly enhances the bio-gas generation with a capturing/sorting and pressurizing abilities, those odd gases are valuable as well.

When referring to municipal solid waste, automatically because it is "municipal" it must be sewer waste. where as solid waste rubbish is handled by for profit private industry.

Also current American toxic consumerism is kind of a wrench in the whole thing..

Answer 2

you might want to contact the city of El Paso, TX. as i understand it, they have been WAAAAAy ahead of most cities in recycling and waste treatment and i believe that they have been involved with using waste for energy

also check places like

http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/wtert...

http://www.energyfromwaste.co.uk/

http://freeenergynews.com/Directory/Wast...

http://www.biotechin.org/index.html

from the net - this basic info

"Many of these technologies have the potential to produce more electric power from the same amount of fuel than would be possible by direct combustion. This is mainly due to the separation of corrosive components (ash) from the converted fuel, thereby allowing a higher combustion temperatures in e.g. boilers, gas turbines, internal combustion engines, fuel cells. Some are able to efficiently convert the energy into liquid or gaseous fuels:

Thermal technologies:

    * Gasification (produces combustible gas, hydrogen, synthetic fuels)

    * Pyrolysis (produces combustible tar/biooil)

    * Plasma arc waste disposal In infancy

Non-thermal technologies:

    * Anaerobic digestion (Biogas rich on methane)

    * Ethanol production

    * Mechanical biological treatment

          o MBT-Anaerobic digestion

          o MBT-Refuse derived fuel

rj

Answer 3

Waste-to-energy can be several different things. Some plants will take trash, burn it, and produce steam to power a turbine. Others will take waste gas, be it  gas created in a dump, an industrial process, or other source, and burn it in a gas turbine or reciprocating engine.

GE Energy produces both industrial gas turbines, and reciprocating engines for this purpose and is constantly coming up with ways to make it more efficient. There are many other companies that do the same thing as well.

The future of this process depends on educating consumers about the benefits, identifying sources of useable waste, as well as solving technological hurdles like toxic and greenhouse gas emissions. I would suggest looking for companies that produce solutions and see what they are sending their R&D dollars on. This link would be one place to start:

http://freeenergynews.com/Directory/Wast...