Plasma gasification

Energy dependence is increasing day by day, with rapid increase in urbanization of our country. Main energy resources are fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, the majority of which is imported. Together with increasing environmental pollution and global problems, energy and its storage costs are becoming bigger concern. Increasing energy needs and above given problems had accelerated energy conversion researches. One of the methods that researchers are focused is employing gasification thermal process to use low-calorie coal, biological waste and municipal waste as an energy source. Plasma gasification technology, which does not need a detailed decomposition, has been chosen for the study. In this technology, wastes are converted to energy source with gasification and fusion. A plasma gasification reactor is needed to examine chemical components and gasification reactions of municipal solid wastes. Software was written to determine the necessary parameters for correct design of the reactor. A plasma reactor was constructed according to the results of the software. The reactor has the following features: 10 kg/h gasification capacity, continuous flow, atmospheric pressure and ability to work up to 1600°C. Gasification at 600-1600°C carried out. It has been observed that waste components created very fast reactions on elemental level. At low temperatures, non-reactive carbons which named as black carbons are formed as well as high energy gases. When the temperature is around 1400°C, energy value of the formed gas dropped and Black Carbon formation is stopped. At around 1600°C, a different mechanism of conversion was observed; the gases which are formed at the first stage are turned into higher calorie hydrocarbons in the second stage. Thus, increased gas efficiency generates a different and advantageous perspective compared with other methods. Plasma, oxygen plasma and steam plasma gasification methods are examined. Advantages and disadvantages, the most efficient parameters, resulting gas products' calorific values in low and moderate temperatures, and potential industrial value of the black carbon held in the output channels have been studied. As a result, plasma and oxygen plasma gasification are efficient, and steam plasma gasification is inefficient at low temperatures. All three methods has about the same efficiency at high temperatures. At temperatures of 1600°C and above, feeding oxygen to the reactor inlet and steam to gasification output might result in formation of higher calorific value gas products. This approach can be examined in the future works. Keywords: Municipal solid waste, Plasma gasificiation, Exergy, Energy.