Engineered Fuel Feed Stock Reduces Emissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
The environmental impact of coal combustion is significant due to high emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases, which contribute to air pollution, health issues, and climate change, and existing alternatives do not adequately address these concerns while providing efficient energy production.
Innovation Solution
An engineered fuel feed stock derived from processed municipal solid waste, optimized for chemical molecular characteristics such as carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, and ash content, is developed to replace or supplement coal in power generation, offering improved emission profiles and energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If coal is used for power generation, then energy production efficiency is maintained at high levels, but harmful emissions of sulfur, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the fuel by blending MSW-derived fuel with coal. The resulting fuel blend has modified carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen content that reduces harmful emissions while maintaining energy production efficiency. This parameter change approach allows the fuel to burn cleaner with lower sulfur and nitrogen oxides emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fuel material by blending MSW-derived fuel with coal in specific ratios. This composite fuel combines the energy density of coal with the lower emission characteristics of MSW-derived fuel, achieving both high energy production efficiency and reduced harmful emissions through the synergistic composition of the blend.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If MSW is used as fuel alternative, then harmful emissions are reduced, but fuel stability and combustion reliability deteriorate due to variable composition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the chemical composition parameters of the fuel blend by controlling the ratio of MSW-derived fuel to coal. By optimizing these parameters, the fuel achieves stable combustion characteristics and reliable operation while maintaining reduced harmful emissions. The parameter optimization ensures consistent energy content and combustion behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different fuel characteristics to different portions of the fuel blend. The MSW-derived fuel component provides low emission benefits, while the coal component provides stability and energy density. This local quality differentiation within the blend allows each component to contribute its advantageous properties to the overall fuel performance.
3Use of energy by moving object
If fossil fuels are used for energy production, then heating value and energy density are high, but environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the energy composition parameters of the fuel blend by incorporating MSW-derived fuel with different carbon and hydrogen content than conventional fossil fuels. This parameter change results in a fuel that maintains high heating value while producing lower greenhouse gas emissions during combustion, as the MSW component has a lower carbon-to-energy ratio.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The engineered fuel feed stock reduces harmful emissions, including sulfur, mercury, and particulate matter, while providing a comparable heating value to coal, thus mitigating environmental impacts and enhancing energy production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
combustion takes place in a reactor in the presence of excess air, or excess oxygen
Implementation Method 2
Gasification also takes place in a reactor, although in the absence of air, or in the presence of substoichiometric amounts of oxygen
Implementation Method 3
In the first stage, pyrolysis releases the volatile components of the fuel at temperatures below 600° C. (1112° F.), a process known as devolatization
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are novel engineered fuel feed stocks, feed stocks produced by the described processes, and methods of making the fuel feed stocks. Components derived from processed MSW waste streams can be used to make such feed stocks which are substantially free of glass, metals, grit and noncombustibles. These feed stocks are useful for a variety of purposes including co-firing with coal and as substitutes for coal.