Gasification of RDF from MSW: an overview

Abstract

European legislation is very restrictive in relation to the deposition of Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) in landfills and so, the waste energy recovery plays a key role in society. Several technologies ensure the conversion of wastes into energy, being incineration the most implemented. However, this process has high impacts on emissions of hazardous gases and production of harmful wastes. To mitigate such problems, thermal treatments such as pyrolysis and gasification emerged as alternative solutions. Several studies mention that gasification presents great advantages, however, to improve the process, it is important to maximize the energy potential of MSW (non-homogeneous), and this is possible through their conversion into refuse derived fuels, RDF (homogeneous). Thus, this paper aims to demonstrate that gasification of RDF from MSW is a good solution for waste energy recovery in Portugal as well as the potential of this country for the production of RDF.