Innovative Technologies in the Development of Alternative RDF Fuel

Abstract

Innowacyjne technologie w zagospodarowaniu paliwa alternatywnego RDF Innovative solutions are being developed in many areas of human activity, including environmental protection. Innovations that help reduce the negative impact of processes and products on the environment are referred to as "eco-innovation". The increasingly restrictive European legislation on waste management, which is also implemented into the national regulations, aims to increase waste recovery and thus to improve the state of the environment. The legislation is oriented towards the development of a circular economy based on the maximal utilization of waste through material and energy recovery while ensuring efficient management of natural resources. The amount of waste collected for storage is being reduced in Poland as it represents the least desirable form of waste development, whereas the volume of waste returned to recycling and thermal treatment is increasing. Due to the fact that innovations are regarded as a factor that impacts on the pace of economic development , the present paper discusses the innovative solutions of thermal waste treatment, with particular focus on incineration, pyrolysis and gasification. The process of pyrolysis of waste in the form of an alternative RDF fuel is an interesting alternative, allowing for obtaining syngas with high calorific value (21.7 MJ/kg) and significant energy efficiency at the level of 75%, which offers a huge potential for electricity recovery. Furthermore, the high calo-rific value of pyrolysis gas encourages its use as a fuel in heating installations, both in the heating and metallurgical sectors, currently using coal gas with lower calorific value (about 16.5 MJ/kg). Furthermore, pyrolysis gas obtained from waste is likely to contribute to the reduction of natural gas consumption, thus leading to diversification of fuel and energy sources in Poland. The innovative solutions for thermal waste disposal presented in this paper are likely to limit the use of landfills and they contribute to the increase of the level of environmental protection.