Plasma Technology
Opportunities for a Sustainable Future
GTRI.ppt-1
Objective
Present an initiative to produce sustainable
energy from waste materials
GTRI.ppt-2
Methodology
• Use plasma arc technologies to destroy
wastes (biomass, solid waste, hazardous
materials)
• Generate fuel gases including hydrogen and
carbon monoxide
• Use fuel cells to produce energy in the form of
heat and electricity
GTRI.ppt-3
What is PLASMA?
90
• “Fourth State” of matter
• Ionized gas at high
temperature capable of
conducting electrical
current
• Lightning is an example
from nature
80
70
60
50
East
West
North
40
30
20
10
0
1st
Qtr
2nd
Qtr
3rd
Qtr
4th
Qtr
GTRI.ppt-4
Characteristics of Plasma
Arc Technology
• Plasma acts as a resistive heating element which
•
•
•
•
cannot melt and fail
Temperatures 4,000°C to over 7,000°C
Torch power levels from 100kW to 200 MW produce
high energy densities (up to 100 MW/m3)
Torch operates with most gases-not a combustion
process
Elimination of requirement for combustion air
– Reduces gas volume requiring treatment
– Reduces potential for formation of complex organics (I.e., dioxins and
furans)
GTRI.ppt-5
Ideally suited for waste
treatment
• Hazardous & toxic compounds broken down to
elemental constituents by high temperatures
• Organic materials
Pyrolyzed or volatilized
May be converted to fuel gases
Amenable to conventional off-gas treatment
• Residual materials (radionuclides, heavy metals,
etc.) immobilized in a rock-like vitrified mass
which is highly resistant to leaching
GTRI.ppt-6
Plasma torch in operation
GTRI.ppt-7
Plasma Gasification of MSW
Gas Heating Value Output
= 4.30
Electricity Input
Steam
Negligible
Gas Heat Energy
1.05 MBtu
PLASMA
MSW
1 Ton – 9.39 Mbtu
33% Moisture
GASIFIER
Electricity
0.56 MWHr – 1.90 MBtu
Product Gas
30,300 SCF
Heating Value =
8.16 MBTU
Based on data from Resorption Canada, Ltd. 1995
(Summarized and converted to English units)
GTRI.ppt-8
An Ultimate
Solution to MSW?
376 tons/day MSW)
Coke/Limestone
Solid Residue: 50
tons/day
Sell: Aggregate
Metals
Bricks
Other
Plasma
Arc
Torch
4.1 MW
Fuel Gases:
3x107 Btu
= 10.6 MW
Net 6.5 MW
GTRI.ppt-9
Experimental Results
PRODUCT GAS DISTRIBUTION
Compounds
Test 1
( with no moisture)
Sample
2
(30 min)
The gases measured were H2, O2, N2, CH4,
and CO.
Sample
3
(50 min)
Test 2
( with moisture)
Sample
6
(110 min)
Sample
3
(30 min)
Sample
4
(50 min)
CO
16.95%
18.56%
21.65%
17.42%
21.39%
CO2
0.22%
0.24%
0.28%
0.44%
0.53%
CH4
1.72%
2.94%
3.91%
2.06%
1.86%
H2
8.36%
12.10%
18.31%
10.10%
16.31%
H2O
0.16%
0.23%
0.35%
0.37%
0.60%
N2
60.84%
54.74%
49.80%
47.59%
50.52%
O2
7.17%
7.37%
5.42%
8.57%
8.64%
C6H6
0.25%
0.25%
0.25%
0.13%
0.13%
unidentified
4.33%
3.56%
0.03%
13.33%
0.02%
95.67%
96.44%
99.97%
86.67%
99.98%
total
•In addition to benzene, small amounts of methane and benzene and trace amounts of toluene,
styrene, ethyl benzene, methyl-ethyl benzene, and benzonitrile were found in the DCM samples.
•The high concentrations of O2 and N2 are due to air leaking into the system prior to the sample
point.
GTRI.ppt-10
Cobb County Plasma Arc Waste
Processing System
System Components
GTRI.ppt-11
Next Steps
• Assembly of the Cobb County Plasma Arc
Waste Processing System
• Optimization testing for integration with fuel
cells
• Testing of biomass, MSW and other feedstock
• Hydrogen capture and optimization
GTRI.ppt-12