Fast pyrolysis & vortex combustion technology from Russia, for controlled burning of unsorted municipal waste
Utilization of municipal solid waste (MSW) is the biggest problem at present. The methods of waste utilization applied till now have shown their low economic efficiency & led to a situation in which there are environmental disasters in a number of cities.
A new technology developed in Russia for thermal destruction of MSW on the basis of Fast pyrolysis and high-temperature vortex burning allows processing the MSW with lower investments, lower energy costs, minimum exhaust into the atmosphere and solid non-toxic ash of less than 3%.
Fast pyrolysis & vortex combustion technology can burn the municipal waste with a very low heat value of even 500 kcal/kg. The plant is designed to burn the products which cannot be burnt in the traditional combustion system.
12 Companies & Institutes in Russia joined together to develop this new technology for municipal waste processing. The equipment manufacturer has 3 patents in the Russian Federation (2 more patents applied for), 5 know-how’s & 1 certificate of trade mark.
Plant capacities & investments –
A) Fixed installations, with sorting lines –
| Model (capacity per hour) | Capacity per day (22 hours) | Capacity per year (330 days) | Estimated total investment |
| FPT – 2500
(2.5 tons per hour) |
55 tons | 18,000 tons | Rs. 5-6 crores |
| FPT – 5000
(5 tons per hour) |
110 tons | 36,000 tons | Rs. 7-9 crores |
| FPT – 10000
(10 tons per hour) |
220 tons | 72,000 tons | Rs.12-15 crores |
B) Mobile installations, without sorting lines –
| Model (capacity per hour) | Capacity per day (22 hours) | Capacity per year (330 days) | Estimated total investment |
| FPT Mobile – 600
(600 kgs per hour-mounted on a 20 ft. container) |
9 tons | 3,000 tons | Rs. 2 crores |
| FPT Mobile – 2000
(2 tons per hour-mounted on a 40 ft. open container) |
30 tons | 10,000 tons | Rs. 4 crores |
Advantages of the technology & equipments –
- Unsorted municipal wastes (MSW) with moisture up to 30% can be directly used;
- Low equipment price & low running costs. The plants become economically viable with tipping fees of Rs. 500 per ton.
- The plants need a small place for installation (200 to 500 sq. metres) and less electricity for operation (30 to 75 KWh).
- Ecological compatibility, meeting the European norms for emission control;
- Fast pyrolysis has a high efficiency of carbon conversion (up to 99%) which allows to process the materials with small content of combustible components (with carbon content of only 20% & ash content up to 20%) or with high moisture (up to 30%).
- The combustion in 2 stages allows to decrease sharply or exclude the formation of dioxins (polychloride di-benzodioxides) and furans (di-benzofurans). Chlorine-containing aromatic compounds (predecessors of dioxins) in smoke gases are suppressed. Low contents of dust particles (catalysts for dioxin formation in smoke gases) are maintained.
A schematic view of the mobile plant is given below –
Environmental design of the Fast pyrolysis & vortex combustion technology for thermal destruction of MSW developed in Russia allows processing of unsorted municipal wastes – both fresh & existing dumps, to completely change the present situation of municipal waste processing in India.
