Potential Benefits of a Resource-Recovery Facility Coupled with District Heating in Detroit, Michigan

摘要

The City of Detroit, Michigan, announced plans for a 2.7-Gg/d (3000-ton/d) Resource Recovery Facility to be located in the central part of the city. The facility will process and burn waste collected by the municipal forces. Steam generated in the facility's boilers will be used to produce electricity; the surplus electricity will be sold to the Detroit Edison Company. When needed by the Central Heating System (CHS), large portions of the steam can be extracted from the turbine and sold to the Detroit Edison Company. The facility will meet its primary purpose of greatly relieving Detroit's solid waste disposal problem. A second very important benefit is that it will be a source of reasonably priced steam for the CHS, which serves the downtown area. Detroit is now in a local depression, and the downtown areas have suffered urban decay. The city is focusing on the redevelopment of these areas, and a viable, cost-effective district heating system would be a major asset. Currently, the CHS is losing money, although it charges relatively high rates for steam, because it uses primarily natural gas to generate steam. The economic feasibility of converting the CHS's relatively oil boiler units to burn coal, a much cheaper fuel, is doubtful. The Resource Recovery Facility can provide CHS with a major part of its steam needs at competitive prices in the near future. This would do much to relieve the CHS's financial problems and help it to become a viable system. This, in turn, would assist the city in the redevelopment of the downtown areas. An overall strategy for district heating in Detroit is being developed. It is suggested that a comprehensive study of a regional district heating system in the city be made. (ERA citation 08:005588)