Electricity production from hydrocarbon pyrolysis products

Abstract

The paper discusses a version of a medium-temperature modular pyrolysis plant that can be used to derive all pyrolysis products – gas, oil, and carbon (soot) – from municipal solid waste (MSW).The yield of gas is 97∙10-3, oil – 257∙10-3, and carbon – 140.1∙10-3 kg/(kg MSW). Specific heating value per kg MSW is 1,904 kJ for gas, 11,334 kJ for oil, and 4,680 kJ for carbon. The products of MSW pyrolysis have been used at an existing thermal power plant (TPP) equipped with the boiler E-120-100 and condensing turbine K-25-90. The rate of MSW consumption with the steam turbine unit operating at its maximum capacity of 25 MW is 5.35 kg MSW per second. The thermal efficiency of the unit is 26%. Specific MSW consumption for electric generation is 0.773 kg/kWh (0.474 kgoe/kWh). Electricity production per 1 metric ton (MT) of recycled MSW is 1,289 kWh. The rate of MSW consumption to supply the diesel generator driving the drum of the pyrolysis plant with the capacity of 5.5 kW is 2.9 kg/h. Operation of the power plant at its full capacity of 25 MW would require 15 modular pyrolysis plants running simultaneously. A single pyrolysis unit and a low-power steam turbine (e.g., TG 0.75/6.3R13/2 KTZ) can be used for a mini-TPP with a capacity of 600 kW.