Effects of municipal solid waste blending on the coal combustion characteristics by TGA analysis

Abstract

Co-firing of Municipal Solid Waste with coal is an attractive option for their disposal. Hydrothermally treated MSW blends of various proportions (on %wt), with coal were tested in a Thermogravimetric Analyzer. The result of this work indicates that the blending of MSW with low rank coal enhances the ignition of coal. But the co-firing characteristics of MSW and coal blend cannot be predicted only from the pyrolytic phenomena as the other factors such as the energy content of the individual blend fuel also play vital roles in deciding the blend co-firing characteristics. The combustion characteristics of blends followed those of parent fuels in both an additive and non-additive manners. However, the effects of MSW blending in smaller than 20% were hardly noticeable and the blend fuel behaves similar to coal. This result shows the feasibility of using MSW with coal in the present combustion facility without major modifications.