Waste to energy: Recovery of alternative energy source from thermal pyrolysis of medical waste in Khartoum, Sudan

Abstract

Nowadays, healthcare activities generate a significant amount of hazardous materials. One way to manage this problem without causing any pollution is to use the pyrolysis process. The objective of this experimental study is to examine the feasibility of pyrolysis technology to convert the medical waste to syngas and liquid fuel. The medical waste was dried, and then heat treated at $350 ^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ for 120 minutes. The produced liquid fuel had a density of 0.7775 g/ml, calorific value of 46.6 MJ/kg, and flashpoint of $30 ^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$, properties similar to diesel fuel. Moreover, the resulting syngas consist of HC, CO, and CO2, which may be employed in combustion applications. Furthermore, this study proved that the pyrolysis process can be considered as an alternative solution for solving energy and medical waste issues.