A review of energy recovery from waste in China

Abstract

Although municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal in Europe and other developed countries has led to a widespread production of solid recovered fuel (SRF) and its incineration in various technical combustion processes, such developments have not yet occurred that widely in developing and transitional economies. This article puts mass-burn technologies and SRF into a China perspective, reviewing issues from technology application problems to emerging trends and future perspectives. Over the last two decades, growing waste volumes have prompted a move to waste incineration, especially in the large densely populated first-tier cities. However, with an organic fraction above 70% and a resulting water content of up to 65%, it is still argued that MSW in China is too moist for incineration. The introduction of mechanical biological treatment (MBT) or mechanical physical stabilization (MPS) technology for SRF production could provide the solution, either by offering further pre-drying options to mass-burn incinerators or by creating SRF to be burnt in co-incineration plants. First experiences of MBT and MPS technologies show promising results in terms of the capacity to deal with organic waste fractions, but the further disposal/utilization of the plants' output stream has not yet been fully addressed.

Suggested guidelines for emergency treatment of medical waste during COVID-19: Chinese experience

“…Zhejiang University has innovatively developed new rotary multi-stage pyrolysis self-melting incineration technology [5][6][7], breaking through the technical bottleneck that has seriously affected continuous and stable operation due to the slagging of the rotary kiln, achieving efficient control and reduction of pollutants emission (especially dioxins) [8,9]. This technology has been applied to 49 hazardous waste pyrolysis incineration treatment projects in 38 cities in 21 provinces of China, with an annual disposal of more than 800,000 tons of hazardous waste, winning the second prize of Chinese National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2017.…”

Evaluation of Cofiring Bioferment Residue with Coal at Different Proportions: Combustion Characteristics and Kinetics

“…It is still argued that MSW in China with a moisture content up to 65% is too moist for incineration. 24 This is because wet wastes must be first dried before rising in temperature, generating volatiles, and eventually catching fire. In contrast, dry BR decomposes swiftly and hence burns rapidly.…”

“…The BR on an as-received basis (the wet BR) is detected to have a moisture content of 68.68%. It is still argued that MSW in China with a moisture content up to 65% is too moist for incineration . This is because wet wastes must be first dried before rising in temperature, generating volatiles, and eventually catching fire.…”

Technical potential of electricity production from municipal solid waste disposed in the biggest cities in Brazil: Landfill gas, biogas and thermal treatment

“…However, this value is similar to the LHV of the waste in China, 3-5 MJ kg -1 , as opposed to the 7-8 MJ kg -1 typically required to obtain a smooth combustion process using the thermal treatment by stoker grate technology. The Chinese research and design institutes have developed measures to improve and adapt foreign designs in conjunction with foreign manufacturers: the bunckers have been enlarged to hold waste for 5-7 days instead of 2-3 days, and 20% of the MSW's water content collects as leachate; use of hot air from combustion, which is led through the waste inlet; longer combustion time, with an extension in the length of the stocker grates (Dorn et al, 2012). Therefore, the use of thermal treatment technologies of MSW in Brazil could use the same adjustments made in China owing to similarity in the lower calorific value.…”