Design of simplified models for the estimation of higher heating value of refused derived fuels

Abstract

In this paper we disclose two new models for the estimation of the higher heating value of refused derived fuels as an answer to the question – “Are the available models to predict the HHV of biomasses suitable to be applied with an acceptable accuracy to RDFs?”. Based on the carbon and hydrogen content the newly developed equations were used to predict, accurately, the higher heating value of 25 samples available from open database sources and then compared with other 35 equations already introduced by other authors. The models herein presented have demonstrated, within the test group used to lead to very low average absolute and bias errors. The models were then validated with samples obtained locally, showing that the results were in line with that obtained for the test group.