Current situation on production of SRF and RDF produced in

Japan

Tomonori ISHIGAKI

National Institute for Environmental Studies

ishigaki@nies.go.jp

MSW flow in JAPAN in FY2015 (MSW: Municipal Solid Waste)

Combustible

Composting

Incombustible

Waste Disposal Site

536 Recycle Residue

42,811

thousand ton

Bulk waste

470

Thermal

(=34,881)

3,174

Material Recovery

Bulk waste trt

4,180

Direct carrying

3,720

Resource to be

511 1,177 (=4,576) 28,848

Mixed waste

2,689

182 3,642 1,798

Ash Direct LF

Refuse Fuel

Biogas

59 644 33,490

1,391

2,526

2,050

Community recovery

2,394

Conventional Incineration Furnace for MSW: Stoker type furnace

(Hitachi Zosen: Hitz) 3

Distributed nationwide

More than 70% of furnace

for MSW incineration

Technology Development of Thermal Treatment: Gasification

• Conversion of organics into CO, H2, CO2 at high temperature (more than 1100 oC), with controlled O2 and steam, without combustion

• Volume Reduction • Enhanced value of products (Slag) • Efficient Energy Production

Gasifier

Syngas combustor

Boiler

Acid gas removal

Steam generator

Power generator

Equipment for Energy Recovery in Thermal Treatment Plant

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26 FY27

余熱利用あり 余熱利用なし■w/o heat recovery ■with heat recovery □ with electricity production

Nu

mb

er

of

pla

nts

P

ow

er

ge

ne

rati

on

pe

r w

as

te

(k

Wh

/t)

Po

we

r ge

ne

ratio

n

effic

ien

cy

(%)

5

Heat recovery

70%

Electricity

30%

Capacity and Efficiency

Furnace

Capacity

Power

generation

efficiency

6

■w/o heat recovery ■with heat recovery □ with electricity production

Nu

mb

er

of

pla

nts

N

um

be

r o

f p

lan

ts

How to increase efficiency of energy recovery

7

History of Fuel and its Heating Value

Firewood Charcoal

Peat

Lignite Coal

Canola

Alcohol

Petroleum fuel

Gas derived from coal tar

Petroleum gas

Hydrogen

Nuclear

Solid fuel Liquid fuel Gas fuel Firewood 14 MJ/kg

Charcoal 15 MJ/kg

Coal 26-29 MJ/kg

Coke 30 MJ/kg

Canola 23 MJ/L

Ethanol 23 MJ/L

Gasoline 33 MJ/L

LNG 41 MJ/m3

Town gas 40 MJ/m3

Hydrogen 12 MJ/m3

Combustible

waste

6-12 MJ/kg

8

History of Fuel and its Heating Value

Firewood Charcoal

Peat

Lignite Coal

Canola

Alcohol

Petroleum fuel

Gas derived from coal tar

Petroleum gas

Hydrogen

Nuclear

Solid fuel Liquid fuel Gas fuel

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Portability

Storability

Benefit of solids

Quality (Heterogeneous)

Combustibility (Fume/Odor)

Drawbacks

Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) in Japan

• Dry and Mold of Combustible waste in Japan

• Easy handling by solidification

• Concentrate Heating value – Power generation efficiency

10

Firewood 14 MJ/kg

Charcoal 15 MJ/kg

Coal 26-29 MJ/kg

Coke 30 MJ/kg

Canola 23 MJ/L

Ethanol 23 MJ/L

Gasoline 33 MJ/L

LNG 41 MJ/m3

Town gas 40 MJ/m3

Hydrogen 12 MJ/m3

Combustible

waste

6-12 MJ/kg

RDFJ 18 MJ/kg

11

RDF in Japan: RDFJ RDF in EU

What is RDF?

Drying by chemical addition

Putrescible fraction is included

Part of wastes from mechanical

treatment of waste (e.g. sorting,

crushing, compacting)

Also called as Combustible waste

12

Combustible Waste in Japan

What is Combustible Waste?

Combustible Waste in EU: 19 12 10

Part of wastes from mechanical

treatment of waste (e.g. sorting,

crushing, compacting)

Also called as Refuse derived fuel

MSW for Thermal treatment

Source separated MSW: other than

incombustibles, packaging,

recyclable, bulk, hazardous, etc.

13

Combustible Waste in Japan

What is equivalent to

Combustible waste in Japan?

Mixed Municipal Waste in EU: 20 03 01

Waste that was not separated at

source, or mixture of separately

collected fraction described in; 20

01

Incident of Explosion at RDFJ Storage

• Explosion at storage silo (2003)

– 1st: Spontaneous ignition by self heating and pyrolysis

gas due to long term storage at closed condition

(without ventilation)

– 2nd: Water spray for fire extinction promoted

fermentation and flammable gas generation

14

Strict rules for RDFJ handling

• Japan Industrial Standard: JIS

– JIS Z7302 series; RDF test methods

– JIS Technical Report Z 0011：Densified Refuse Derived Fuel

15

Calorific value more than 12,500 kJ/kg

Moisture less than 10%

Ash less than 20%

Others Contents of Total Chlorine, Sulfur, Nitrogen, Powder

and Bulk density, are required to report

• Guidelines for production and utilization of RDFJ

– Appropriate utilization of limes for drying

– Temperature control before storage

– Amount control of storage to prevent heat accumulation

– Careful delivering to storage to avoid powdering

– Control the substantial duration of storage

– Moisture control and ventilation at storage

Current situation of RDFJ

• Only 49 plants are under operation

• Annual Production: 300 thousand ton: 80% for RDF power plant (specific furnace) – Others for cement, pulping, district heating

• Risk for safety handling

16

Safer Solid Fuel produced from Waste

17

RPF [Refuse derived Paper and Plastics

densified Fuel]

• From Industrial paper/pulp waste,

Industrial plastic waste or industrial

wood waste

• Stable quality of material: Products

(RPF) as well

18

Several solid fuel producers in EU (like

Remondis) also possess the brand

equivalent in RPF

(Source separated waste, industrial waste:

NCV 20-27 MJ/kg)

Firewood 14 MJ/kg

Charcoal 15 MJ/kg

Coal 26-29 MJ/kg

Coke 30 MJ/kg

Canola 23 MJ/L

Ethanol 23 MJ/L

Gasoline 33 MJ/L

LNG 41 MJ/m3

Town gas 40 MJ/m3

Hydrogen 12 MJ/m3

Combustible

waste

6-12 MJ/kg

RDFJ 18 MJ/kg

RPF/plastics 29 MJ/kg

Waste tire 33 MJ/kg

Quality Standard of RPF (JIS Z7311)

19

Class RPF-coke RPF

A B C

GCV (MJ/kg) > 33 >25 >25 >25 JIS

Z7302-2

Moisture (%) <3 <5 <5 <5 JIS

Z7302-3

Ash (%) <5 <10 <10 <10 JIS

Z7302-4

Total Cl (%) <0.6 <0.3 <0.6

>0.3

<2.0

>0.6

JIS

Z7302-6

Current situation of RPF

• 227 Plants (most private)

• Annual production: 1.25 Mton

• Customer

– Papermill : elec., steam for drying

• 60%

– Printing, dying: steam for drying

• 35%

– Cement (coke alternatives)

20

Firewood 14 MJ/kg

Charcoal 15 MJ/kg

Coal 26-29 MJ/kg

Coke 30 MJ/kg

Canola 23 MJ/L

Ethanol 23 MJ/L

Gasoline 33 MJ/L

LNG 41 MJ/m3

Town gas 40 MJ/m3

Hydrogen 12 MJ/m3

Combustible

waste

6-12 MJ/kg

RDFJ 18 MJ/kg

RPF/plastics 29 MJ/kg

Waste tire 33 MJ/kg

SRF [Solid Recovered Fuel]

• Material: Mixed Municipal Waste

– “biodegradable kitchen and canteen waste (20 01 08)” and

“biodegradables in garden and park wastes (20 02 01)”

were removed by source separation in some urban city

– Advantages for Less biodegradables in materials

• Production in Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT)

21

Importance of Standardization

• Common standard increases tradability

• Standardization of Quality control

process (Inspection process, assurance)

• Increase Safety: Prevention of incident in

production, handling and storage

22

Example: Zonal Distribution of SRF in Europe

23

Waste to Energy

Plants

Cement kilns

Energy plants (coal),

CHP, Regional heating

Furnace in Paper

manufacturers and

ceramics

Export factors:

Lack of treatment capacity

Landfill charge

Import factors:

Available User’s capacity

Renewable energy demand

Distribution of RDF・SRF in Asia ESM of Waste, Development of Industry, Energy mix

24