Current issues on the production and utilization of medium-calorific solid recovered fuel: a case study on SRF for the HOTDISC technology

Abstract

The HOTDISC technology allows the use of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) of a coarse grain size in cement rotary kilns. A suitable medium-calorific SRF is produced by mechanical treatment of mixed municipal and commercial waste that was previously used in fluidized bed incineration systems. Through a modification of the production process the quality of the SRF could be improved and its energetic utilization within a cement kiln with an integrated HOTDISC technology was realized. In course of a material flow analysis changes in quality and mass due to planned process changes were simulated on a theoretical basis. Due to a good agreement of the mass and quality prediction with the real data of the material flow analysis conducted after the system implementation it can be stated that by simulation beforehand the security in planning increases while the economic risk can be significantly reduced. Both the material flow analysis as well as practical operational experience confirms that the industrially produced HOTDISC SRF is applicable and can be produced from mixed municipal and commercial solid waste. An improvement in quality of the produced HOTDISC SRF can be shown by positive changes of essential parameters. From a waste management perspective the production and energetic utilization of HOTDISC SRF is reasonable by all means. This is shown by the conduction of an energy and CO₂-balance. A growing international importance of the HOTDISC technology and the increased use of medium-calorific SRF are expected.