Refuse derived fuels pyrolysis

Refuse derived fuels (RDF) characterization and pyrolysis behaviour, carried out by means of thermogravimetric analysis, infrared and mass spectroscopy, are presented. Thermal degradation of RDF takes place through three main mass loss stages; the analyses of evolved gas allow us to discriminate the contributions of the different fractions (paper, LDPE, wood, rubber, etc.) to the global decomposition. Furthermore thermogravimetry (TG) was used for the determination of kinetic parameters, using the differential method. In order to set up the conditions of production of a good quality pyrolysis gas, the operating conditions of RDF in a pyrolysis reactor have been simulated. Data show that the volatile fraction grows with the temperature, together with the relative conversion, and that light volatile fraction (hydrogen, ethyne, etc.) gets richer, at the expense of superior homologous hydrocarbons.     

Thermal Plasma Synthesis of Zirconia Powder and Preparation of Premixed Ca-Doped Zirconia

A novel study about the synthesis of zirconia and calcia-stabilized zirconia powders were carried out by DC thermal plasma starting from cheap precursors as the carbonates. Different operational parameters were investigated to explore the effects of the process conditions, such as the plasma torch power and the gas flow rate on the composition and the morphology of the powders. The products phase changes from a metastable tetragonal to monoclinic/tetragonal mixture. Basically a main tetragonal phase was obtained at low torch power (7 kW) while the amount of monoclinic phase linearly rises with the power, up to 66 wt% at 26 kW of plasma power and high gas flow rate. The gas flow rate also affects the shape and the size of the powder, where high values reduce powder aggregation and enhance the spherical shape. The best results were achieved at 22 kW of plasma power and high gas flow rate, with powders of roundness about 79% and a wide particle size distribution. Adding the calcium carbonate to the zirconium carbonate (corresponding to 8 wt% CaO in the final mixture), the plasma treatment mainly produces a tetragonal phase zirconia, that at 1400 °C in furnace changes in a stable cubic phase. These powders could be made suitable for further industrial applications after proper treatments.

     

Thermal and kinetic study of tyre waste pyrolysis via TG-FTIR-MS analysis

The world production of tyre waste amounts to 5·10⁶ ton year^–1, 2·10⁶ tons of which are produced in Europe, but the final destination of nearly 65–70% of them is the landfill, despite the high added value materials lost and the consequent environmental impact. Treatments alternative to landfilling take into account reconstruction and reuse of the tyres or the matter and/or energy recovery by means of thermal treatment processes (incineration, gasification and pyrolysis). Among these, pyrolysis seems to be a promising and realistic alternative to attain the conversion of tyre waste into valuable and reusable products. Present work relates to experimental tests and results obtained for the study of tyre waste pyrolysis, conducted by means of thermo-gravimetric analysis (TG) of the material and the simultaneous determination, through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and mass spectrometry (MS), of the decomposition products. The analysis of the volatile fraction allows to isolate, within the thermograms, the evolution of products referable to specific tyre components and therefore it suggests the application of a multi-component decomposition model. The kinetic model consequently developed agrees fairly well with the experimental data.