Feasibility of using municipal solid wastes rejected fractions as fuel in a biomass power plant

Abstract

The viability of partial replacement of biomass feedstock by the refuse derived fuel (RDF) produced from the local municipal waste management facility was investigated. Therefore, over two years, several samples of the rejected fractions from the selective collection operations and the mechanical and biological treatment were collected at the waste management facility. These samples were characterized to evaluate the physical composition, proximate analysis, ultimate analysis, alkali metal and trace metal content, calorific, and chlorine contents. All data were statistically analyzed. Several important differences were found between the rejected fractions and biomass, namely moisture, volatile matter, and fixed carbon content. However, the calorific value is like the expected from common wood or forest wastes. Trace and hazardous elements were found to be below the standard for RDF. After the statistical analysis, it was found that not all parameters had a normal distribution. Non-parametric tests were performed and for all the parameters analyzed only moisture content, nitrogen, and hydrogen show to be dependent on the waste source. Overall, the results point out the feasibility to prepare RDF from rejected fractions to use as co-fuel in a biomass power plant.