Verification of the fuel reduction effect of MSW incineration ash melting furnace by using waste plastic fuel

Abstract

We report on a solution for two main challenges. One is the challenge to achieve cost effective recycling technology for incineration residue. The other is to use the plastic which is not suitable for material recycle (MR).

KUBOTA Surface Melting Furnace (KSMF) is a fuel type melting furnace which can treat various kinds of wastes such as incineration ash, sewage sludge, landfill waste (mixture of combustible and incombustible wastes). We have the solution to these two challenges at the same time by using plastics as fuel for ash melting.

We have verified the fuel reduction effect by using waste plastic fuel in a commercial ash melting plant (15.5 t-ash/day) at Urasoe City Clean Center. We used the plastics originated from WEEE which are not suitable for MR. In case of feeding the plastics with incineration ash at mixture rate of 12wt%, fossil fuel consumption rate was reduced by 32% compared to the conventional operation without plastics. On the other hand, the throughput of ash did not decrease.

As the result of feasibility study based on the verification test, a plastic receiving and supplying facility was introduced to this plant. The operation using waste plastic began in December of 2017.