Gasification process: an italian case study

The gasification process is a thermal treatment of metropolitan solid waste (MSW). The main objective is to transfer energy from a solid fuel, the MSW, to another one, the waste gas. Historically this technology has been developed using different fuels: first coal, biomass, and refuse derived fuel. However, it should be noted that the gasification is one technology trial. The process involves subjecting the stoichiometry refusing to three successive stages: combustion, pyrolysis and conversion to gas, the treatment is self-perpetuating. Gasification can be performed by different operating models depending by the type of gasification agent used (air, oxygen or steam) and the type of system used. Particular importance is the treatment by some of the same substances that could damage downstream equipment and polluting compounds. Before thermal degradation reactor accept material undergoes pre-treatment according to the waste composition, e.g. shredding, sterilizing, metal separation etc. The waste is automatically fed into the ultrahigh temperature reactor. Heated with induction electricity, this thermal reactor allowing operation temperatures between 300 - 1900 °C. With this reactor, which is operated without air or oxygen, the waste is separated into two fractions: oenergetic gas; oinorganic, inert residue. All organic component of the waste entering in the gaseous phase.