Syngas Purpose Pyrolysis-Gasification of Organic Fractions of MSW over Metal-Loaded Y-Zeolite Catalysts

Abstract

The increasing environmental consideration and the growth of instability of the energy market call for methods that can process the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) into fuel instead of disposal. Due to the pyrolysis and gasification that are efficient procedures to achieve valuable products, gasification of OFMSW with different particle sizes and compositions was carried out in the presence of Ni and Ni-Ce-loaded Y-zeolite in a multizone tubular kiln reactor. During the experiments, 500°C was applied in the first reactor zone, while the 2nd zone was at an elevated temperature of 600°C or 900°C in the presence of steam. The combined pyrolysis and gasification experiments were also carried out without a catalyst with the same operating conditions. The feedstock was collected from the organic fraction of a Hungarian mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plant and was separated into four different fractions based on particle size: <1 cm dry biomass and fine particles, 1-2 cm paper-rich, 2-6 cm paper and plastic-rich feedstocks, and <6 cm mixture of these fractions. During the experimental work, product yields; gaseous product composition; the ratio of H2/CO, CO2/CO, and CH4/CO; and lower heating value were determined in the function of feedstock composition, the applied temperature, and catalysts. It was found that the hydrogen content and H2/CO ratio of gaseous products were increased due to catalyst application and temperature elevation in the 2nd reactor zone. The addition of Ce to the Ni/Y-zeolite catalyst was advantageous in the case of hydrogen formation at a lower temperature (600°C). The hydrogen and methane content of products obtained from the catalytic pyrolysis-gasification of paper and plastic-rich OFMSWs on elevated temperatures were higher, which increased the lower heating value of those products. Based on the elemental analysis of the obtained solid residues, it was found that paper/plastic-rich feedstock released hydrogen and carbon with a higher extent. 1-2 cm feedstock-related solid residues had the highest H/C ratio which caused a 12.5-12.8 MJ/kg gross heating value. As a result, combined pyrolysis and gasification appear to be an efficient method to attain valuable outputs from OFMSW not only in gas but also in solid products.