Thermo-economic analysis of the potential for electricity generation by integrating a Rankine cycle with municipal solid waste incineration

Abstract

Municipal Solid Wastes generated by human activities increase as the population grows; in Ocaña city, Norte de Santander, Colombia, these wastes reach a monthly production of about 2660 tons, made up of 65.6% waste food, 15.3% plastics, 9.9% toilet paper, 3.6% paperboard, 2.6% textile residues, 1.6% paper, 0.8% wood wastes, and 0.1% rubber. This work estimates the energy potential from municipal solid wastes for electricity generation and their production costs. A multicriteria decision analysis allowed selecting the best technology for the wastes processing based on their energy content. For the evaluated criteria, the incineration process showed priority. A model developed in the engineering equation solver software allowed calculating the electrical energy potential by integrating the incineration process with a Rankine cycle. By implementing a thermo-economic assessment, the electricity generation costs were determined, where the inversion, installation, operation, and maintenance costs were considered. 1974 KW of electrical power with generation costs of $300/KWh and a payback period of 2.5 years show the feasibility of this process.