Waste-to-Energy Process to Recover Dangerous Pollutants in an Environmental Protected Area

Abstract

The present study aims to extract the polluting material from a lagoon and use it as an alternative fuel in cement industries. To this end, in the methodology will analyze two alternatives for the waste: fuel generation and incineration. The polluting material from the Arganda lagoon has highly calorific value to be used as fuel. Thus, not only are these wastes used, but also an area with potentially hazardous waste is decontaminated. After the extraction, which due to the characteristics of the material is chosen for the novel pumping extraction, and subsequent generation of fuel, the process for using this waste is through the distribution of the created fuel to nine cement plants in Spain, leading to significant environmental benefits. The results of the process shows an energy efficiency of 97% for using the waste as fuel, and a consumed energy of approximately 6000 kWh/t·waste to the process that leads to the desired environmental benefit. The use of waste contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions and a decrease in the use of fossil fuels.

Alternative Fuel Generation from Dangerous Solid Waste in a Protected Environmental Area

“…Compared to the previous study carried out in [28], the energy consumed by the two alternatives (energy recovery vs. incineration) was 6032.65 kWh/t waste , and the average consumed energy value was 6156.55 kWh/t waste in the period 2015-2018 with a quantity of material extracted, namely 42,246.83 tonnes. Energy content in waste is slightly higher (5.6%) in the latest period (2020-2021) in comparison with the first period (2015-2018); this is because the material is pumpable in the first period and solid in the second period, and it has a higher calorific value in the first period.…”

“…The material of the Laguna Sureste is similar in composition to the fluid main layer (Layer C), already extracted from the Laguna Principal, which will be described next [28]. The material of the Laguna Sureste is more solid, and it has higher viscosity, higher quantity of volatile compounds, higher acidity, lower pH and higher sulphur content (Figure 2).…”

“…Furthermore, 15% of the remaining Layer C will be extracted through pump, with a total of 6468 tonnes that were left unextracted during the first phase of the project, even though this material will not be under study for only the solid material will be quantified. The pumpable material has already been studied and quantified in [28].…”