Waste to energy by way of hydrothermal decomposition and resource recycling

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for disposing wastes comprising the steps of conducting a hydrothermal decomposition reaction of the wastes, separating the products into a solid fuel and waste water, combusting the solid fuel, scrubbing the combustion gas, generating steam using the heat generated by the combustion, and purifying the waste water, exhibit a high energy-efficiency, while exhibiting a high removal rate of the pollutants generated during the combustion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 264,001, filed Nov. 24, 2009, and is a continuation of International Application No. PCT / KR2010 / 008237, filed Nov. 22, 2010, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to an energy-efficient method for disposing organic wastes such as municipal solid wastes and sewage sludge and an apparatus therefore.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Organic wastes such as sludge, livestock excreta, food discards, and agricultural wastes have been generally disposed by an anaerobic digestion to recover bio gas such as methane. The anaerobic digestion is useful in that the refined methane gas can be used as an energy resource, but it has the problem that the required long process time causes a high cost and the energy efficiency is low.[0004]Most MSWs (municipal solid wastes) are currently disposed by incinerat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The inventive method and apparatus for disposing waste by way of an integrated system of hydrothermal decomposition and resource recycling, exhibit highly energy-efficient, while exhibiting a high removal rate of t

Problems solved by technology

The anaerobic digestion is useful in that the refined methane gas can be used as an energy resource, but it has the problem that the required long process time causes a high cost and the energy efficiency is low.

The incineration enables the recovery of heat energy, but the process requires expensive fly ash and bottom ash treatment steps.

However, this process has the problem that the resulting solid fuel product contains a considerable amount of chlorine-generating toxic organic chlorine compounds such as dioxin, which must be removed by a treatment process such as SCR (selective catalytic reduction) when such solid fuel is used.

For this reason the waste to energy system is not economicall

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