Waste management
A new solution for disposing of municipal solid waste
ENCO spol s r.o. is developing an innovative and patented solution for ecological waste disposal. The CATALYTIC MINERALISATION technology we develop disposes of waste in a more environmentally sensitive manner.
ZERO EMISSIONS
Thanks to the low processing temperature, no harmful substances are emitted during processing, only CO2 and vapour.
NO LANDFILLS
The volume and weight of waste may be reduced by up to 99%. This eliminates the need of waste storage in landfills.
COST SAVINGS
Low operating and energy costs. The modular structure makes it possible to process most types of waste.
How it works
Catalytic mineralisation works on the principle of low-temperature mineralisation and gasification with catalytic purification of reaction gases and with the ability to recover heat and electricity. Thanks to a low process temperature which does not exceed 550 °C and with no flame, no harmful substances such as NO2, dioxins, furans, CO, methane or others are produced. This technology is classified as BAT (best available technology) pursuant to Directive 96/61/EC.
Main advantages of the technology
• Low process temperature, no emissions of harmful substances.
• An 80 to 99% reduction in the volume and weight of waste, thanks to which the need for landfilling is completely eliminated or significantly reduced.
• No harmful emissions, only CO2 and water vapour are emitted.
• Low operating and energy costs.
• Modular structure for processing different kinds of wastes.
• Efficient heat and power generation during the process.
This technological process in cooperation with Infra Waste as the subcontractor for special components results in 80 to 99% waste volume reduction (depending on the composition of the waste), complete dewatering of wastes, complete elimination of any waste odours, and elimination of all viruses and bacteria.
Processed types of waste and output materials
The input material is mainly municipal waste of various types, while the connection of additional modules permits the processing of some types of hazardous, liquid and hospital waste.
The mineral powder does not contain any harmful substances and may be disposed of directly in a landfill or used as an admixture in concrete, foundation materials for roads, structures and similar.
The only other products of the process are water and CO2. Metal, glass and other non-degradable materials entering the process remain unchanged at the outlet and are subsequently separated for further recovery and recycling.
Comparison with available technologies
| PYROLYSIS | PLASMA | CATALYTIC MINERALISATION | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 800 – 1200⁰ C | 3000 – 10000⁰ C | 450 – 550⁰ C |
| Input segregation of materials | yes | yes | only partially |
| Disposal of hazardous wastes | only after significant modifications | only after significant modifications | yes |
| Formation of dioxins | yes | yes (reverse synthesis) | no |
| Energy demands | high | very high | low |
| Operating costs | high | high | low |
| Recovery of raw materials | after difficult segregation | after difficult segregation | simple after the end of the process |
| Recovery of raw materials from process gases | impossible | impossible | simple, depending on content of the element |
| Emission purity level | only after the installation of additional equipment | only after the installation of additional equipment | very high, only CO2 and water vapour are emitted |
| Recovery of waste heat and power | yes, after the installation of an additional unit and a generator | yes, after the installation of an additional unit and a generator | yes, generators are part of the equipment |
| Range of processing options for different types of wastes | limited | limited | nearly unlimited |
| Construction complexity | high | very high | low |
| Space requirements | large given the need for storage and segregation | large given the need for storage and segregation | minimum of handling areas |
Brief description of the technology
After modification of the raw waste through separation and grinding to the required fraction of up to 50 mm, the waste is transported by conveyor to the mineralisation chamber hopper, from which the chamber bin is filled with help of gravity. After the moisture is evaporated and the waste is dried (200 °C), the mineralisation, gasification and utilisation process begins. Temperatures in the chamber fluctuate from 450 to 550 °C depending on the type of the processed waste.
Catalytic mineralisation is a process in which a mineral is formed from organic materials. The volume of the input waste is reduced 20- to 100-fold depending on its composition. The processed, utilised waste is collected on the bottom of the chamber in the collection container (bin) in the form of a fine mineral powder. From there, it is mechanically transferred to an external collection container.
The technical gas purification process begins after the completion of the mineralisation process. The reaction gas from the chamber passes through high temperature filters to remove mechanical impurities. The temperature in the pipe is then reduced to 400 °C and the gases enter the RCO reverse catalytic burner, where the process gas is purified by oxidation. The gas decomposes to form CO, CO2 and NOx nitrogen compounds. Subsequently, the gas flows through the heater to the internal burner, where it is purified at a temperature of 600 °C. H2O and CO2 are formed from CxHy and CO. The level of purity at this stage is 99%. From the internal burner, 5% of the gas is returned to the mineralisation chamber and the rest flows to the heat exchanger (air/water), where its temperature is reduced to 220 °C. As an alternative to the exchanger, we can use a turbine generator to generate electricity. The gas is then passed through a DeNox filtration system with NOx reduction to NO2 through another heat exchanger into an absorber to remove odours. From there, it is routed to an exhaust stack and released into the atmosphere at a temperature of 35 °C and purity of 99.9% in the form of CO2 and H2O water vapour.