Plasma gasification process using computational fluid dynamics modeling

Abstract

The world has a waste problem. Landfills around the planet are reaching full capacity, so the recovery of energy from them would be a very useful green alternative and sustainable solution. A century-old technology is being revitalized to convert waste into energy through a process called plasma gasification. In this study, a proposed model of plasma gasification allows us the simulation of municipal solid waste (MSW) gasification and get the temperature field as well as the composition of the products (CO, CO2, H2, H2O) inside the gasifier. It was found that the use of plasma greatly influence the quality of syngas. The temperature distribution showed that the updraft gasifier is actually operating at approximately 1000 K. It is well understood that increasing gasification temperature is beneficial since it enhances reaction rates, and influences the energy equilibrium of endothermic gasification. This emphasizes the importance of the current work because it depicts the various regions of the updraft reactor as well as the related gasification phases that occur in reality at different temperatures. Despite the good performance of the present model, it is necessary to develop it to improve the interaction of plasma flow with solid particles, liquids, or other gases.