Hybrid porous media gasification of urban solid waste pre-treated by hydrothermal carbonization

PLoS One. 2023 Sep 20;18(9):e0291838. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291838. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Global population growth and rising consumption levels have significantly increased resource use and energy demand, leading to higher greenhouse gas concentrations and increased waste output. As a result, alternative waste treatment methods for sustainable municipal solid waste (MSW) management are crucial. This research evaluates the efficiency of integrating hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and gasification for an optimized MSW biomass blend. HTC was conducted for one hour at 220°C in a 5 L reactor, followed by gasification in a hybrid porous medium gasifier. The study investigated the effects of different filtration speeds on combustion temperature and hydrogen concentrations. The results showed that a filtration speed of 35 cm/s resulted in a maximum combustion temperature of 1035.7°C. The temperature remained consistent across filter speeds, while higher velocities yielded higher hydrogen concentrations. Additionally, increasing the filtration velocity raised temperatures in the hybrid bed while increasing the volumetric fraction of biomass decreased maximum temperatures. This research contributes to the understanding of merging HTC and gasification for MSW biomass blend treatment, aiming to reduce environmental impacts and costs while promoting renewable resources for long-term energy production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomass
  • Fever*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen
  • Porosity
  • Solid Waste*

Substances

  • Solid Waste
  • Hydrogen

Grants and funding

FV received research funding as part of the ModSim group at the National University of Chimborazo (UNACH). The funds were allocated by the Vice Presidency of Research for data analysis, manuscript writing, and covering the Article Processing Charges (APC). The URL is https://www.unach.edu.ec/vicerrectorado-de-investigacion-vinculacion-y-posgrado-ele/. Additionally, research support was provided by FONDEF ID10182 and DICYT 062317EP to facilitate data collection and experimental work. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.