Co-firing Municipal Solid Waste with Coal - A Case Study of Warangal City, India

摘要

Municipal solid waste management has become an important challenge in the developing countries. Treatment using thermal methods, especially by incineration is advantageous in comparison with biological and chemical treatments, as they require less time and space for the reduction of huge quantities of wastes and also generates energy. As the composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) and its calorific value is inconsistent for power generation, we have studied the possibility of blending MSW with an auxiliary fuel such as coal. The study was conducted in the Warangal city (in Telangana State of India) which produces around 220 tonnes of MSW per day. Various blending proportions of MSW and coal were analysed and quantified the calorific value, gaseous emissions (NOx, SO2 and CO2) and also estimated the cost of production. We found that, blend of MSW and coal in the proportion of 90-80% and 10-20% respectively, is optimal in terms of waste processing and lower gaseous emissions. The cost-benefit analysis for the two scenarios consisting of either inclusion or exclusion of food wastes in the MSW validates the viability of co-firing as a better waste management practice with a minimum assured gain of Rs. 0.3 million per day.