Torrefaction Process to Offer Renewable Energy from Used Ties

摘要

Railroads in North American generate approximately 20 million used wooden railroad ties annually. While some may be recycled back to railroad use or other uses, the majority will require some form of disposal. The most common means is recycling the wooden ties to energy via grinding and combustion in wood-fired boilers. However, low fossil fuel costs, especially natural gas, along with evolving air emissions and solid waste regulations are making this option more problematic. As a result, there are now more ties available than there is demand for them as fuel, so many of the ties end up disposed in landfills or in long term storage.