Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste

Abstract

Gasification of municipal solid waste (MSW) is an attractive alternative fuel production process for the treatment of solid waste as it has several potential benefits over traditional combustion of MSW. Syngas produced from the gasification of MSW can be utilized as a gas fuel being combusted in a conventional burner or in a gas engine to utilize the heat or produce electricity. Also, it can be used as a building block for producing valuable products such as chemicals and other forms of fuel energy. This book chapter covers the properties of MSW, gasification mechanism, chemistry, operating conditions, gasifica - tion technologies, processes, recovery system, and most importantly by reviewing the environmental impacts of MSW gasification. As one of recent advanced technologies, a case study of pilot-scale MSW gasification is introduced, which could be one of the most efficient pathways to utilize the technology to produce electricity with a newly developed gasification process by reducing tar and pollutant emission.