Abstract
Biomass, in form of residues and waste, can be used to produce energy with low environmental impact. It is important to use the feedstock close to the places where waste are available, and with the shortest conversion pathway, to maximize the process efficiency. In particular waste vegetable oil and the organic fraction of municipal solid waste represent a good source for fuel production in urban areas. Dual fuel engines could be taken into consideration for an efficient management of these wastes. In fact, the dual fuel technology can achieve overall efficiencies typical of diesel engines with a cleaner exhaust emission. In this paper the feasibility of a cogeneration system fuelled with waste vegetable oil and biogas is discussed and the evaluation of performance and emissions is reported on the base of experimental activities on dual fuel heavy duty engine in comparison with diesel and spark ignition engines. The ratio of biogas potential from MSW and biodiesel potential from waste vegetable oil was estimated and it results suitable for dual fuel fuelling. An electric power installation of 70 kW every 10,000 people could be achieved.
Highlights
The increasing costs and climate changing related to fossil fuels exploitation require a major share of the energy production from alternative sources, in particular from waste or renewable sources
In this paper the feasibility of a cogeneration system fuelled with waste vegetable oil and biogas is discussed and the evaluation of performance and emissions is reported on the base of experimental activities on dual fuel heavy duty engine in comparison with diesel and spark ignition engines
Considering wastes produced in urban areas, after an appropriate selective collection, it could be possible to use the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) and waste vegetable oils (WVOs) and fats for energy production
Summary
The increasing costs and climate changing related to fossil fuels exploitation require a major share of the energy production from alternative sources, in particular from waste or renewable sources. The low conversion efficiency of the global process can create land competition between food and energy production From this consideration derives that dedicated energy crops cannot be seen as the solution of the energetic and environmental issues. Considering wastes produced in urban areas, after an appropriate selective collection, it could be possible to use the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) and waste vegetable oils (WVOs) and fats for energy production. Instead the MSW organic fraction is increasingly selective collected and composted or converted in biogas with digester plant This management seems to be not very efficient; the two wastes have to be processed separately in few places far away from the production areas. A dual-fuel engine fuelled with biogas from MSW and biodiesel from WVO has been taken into consideration for a realization of a more efficient waste to energy conversion pathway. The dual-fuel technology represents the optimal solution offering possibility to manage both the two-waste typology in the same plant as gaseous and a liquid fuel allowing their utilization in an engine with a global efficiency typical of diesel engines but with cleaner exhaust emissions and so suitable for urban areas
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