Plasma and Renewable Energy Center

(PREC)José L. Colón

Nilangely ArzonPierre Schmidt

School of Engineering

Universidad del Turabo

OUR PROBLEM Municipal Solid Waste

Municipal Solid WasteP.R. generates over 11,000 tons/day Most of the disposal places already closedThe ones in operation are quickly becoming full, and most of them in violation of environmental regulationsNo land available for new fillsCosts increasing

Our mayor problem: Contamination of our water wells

Ideal Waste Disposal SystemThat can process mixed solid and liquid waste Non polluting and environmentally safe Not requiring previous treatment or preparation That can recuperate all useful material or energy

contents Final residue that could also be useful Able to process toxic and hazardous materials,

medical wastes, plastics, tires, etc No land fill required

Recycle, Re-use, Recovery (RRR)

Plasma TechnologyPlasma: A gas in a conductive stateVery high temperatures can be produced and controlled with the electric power appliedLightning is a natural example and Electric arc

welding is a produced caseDoes not need air to operate Can operate with any gasAvailable with Power levels from 100kw to 10

mw Temperatures from 4,000°C to 7,000°C

Process(Data for one ton of MSW)

Plasma Technology: Ideal for Municipal Waste

DisposalOrganic components: gasified into H2/CO fuel gasVitrified sediment is re-usable for a variety of applicationsHazardous and toxic components broken into basic elements Heavy metals, etc. are immobilized in a glass rock

Municipal Waste: Ideal

for Plasma Torch Technology

Organic components: Will provide enough fuel to generate the needed electricity for the process plus a significant extra amount that can be used for other useful purposes

Tests Done at Georgia TechHeavy metalsLow radioactive wasteIndustrial wasteSolid municipal wasteOven dustOrganic solid and liquid waste

PCB’sAsbestos ashesChemical wastesBio-medical wastesPlasticsUsed tires

Tiles Fabricated With Vitreous Residue Proved to Be Superior to the Ones With

Recycled Glass

Systems in OperationFrance: process asbestos ashesMadison, PA: toxic waste destructionJapan: process junk autosJonquiere, Canada: aluminum recoveryJackson, GA: will process used tires

Universidad del TuraboActivities

Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO): (proposal) Prototype unit to process municipal solid wastes

Agreement with SOLENA groupIntegrated Plasma Gasification Combined Cycle (IPGCC)

Plasma and Renewable Energy Center (PREC)

Plasma Gasification and Vitrification Reactor Design and build a compact SOLENA gasified system

Demonstrate the efficacy of the IPGCC process Test the characteristics of gasifying various types of feeds Training professional and technical personnel Conduct research and development Doctoral Dissertations in Environmental Sciences (SST)

Test an Uninterruptible Power Supply system fed by the installed Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels

Planned installation of a Fuel Cell demonstration unit

QUESTIONS ?