AN ALTERNATIVE FOR VALORIZATION OF WASTES AS ENERGY SOURCE

Abstract

The efficient use of renewable energy resources is one of the most important elements of energy sustainability at the European Union level. The growing demand for energy will continue to support the use of other materials as resources of energy than conventional ones, coal, crude oil and natural gas. This paper investigates the feasibility of valorizing wastes with energetic potential in a multi-component alternative solid fuel. Biomass - vegetable waste (BW), meat and bone meal (MBM) and slag/bottom ash from lignite combustion, in combination with a low-rank, lignite, was used to prepare tri-component mixtures (MBM+Lignite +Slag and MBM+BW+Lignite) indifferent variable proportions, and further characterized to assess their potential for use as energy source. The thermal behavior of the mixtures was assessed by thermogravimetric analysis; the resulting ashes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy.Also, the environmental impact as emissions level after their combustion was considered. In terms of an effective way of removing wastes (e.g. slag/bottom ash and MBM), the most promising proposed solid mixture was the combination MBM(50%): Lignite(25%): Slag (25%), with a high energetic value, > 2700 kcal/kg, a volatile matter content > 35 %wt, and the ash in half amount compared to its initial mass. Thestudy’s findings illustrate the possibility of turning solid waste to raw material by converting them into energy, and promote the development of long-term waste management and recovery solutions.