Using refuse derived fuel as a supplementary energy source

The first part of this two-part series explained the resource-recovery system, conversion of existing boiler to use refuse derived fuel (RDF) firing considerations, and potential corrosion problems. This article analyzes boiler performance, environmental factors, and stack-gas cleanup equipment. The article concentrates on the combustible portion of shredded and processed refuse producing and burning RDF instead of firing the raw refuse. The primary advantage is that processed waste materials can be burned in suspension or semisuspension in many existing furnaces of conventional design. Raw refuse, however, must be used in specially designed mass-burning stokers. These units are quite large and are not found in existing industrial power plants.