Plasma Gasification (Reactor) with Mini-CHP

What is plasma gasification technology (reactor) for processing municipal solid waste into electricity?

Specialists at UGK-Energetika LLC develop, design, and produce plasma reactors under the brand “UPG-Neutron,” designed for processing any type of organic MSW waste into synthesis gas with the capability of generating electrical energy from 1 MW to 10 MW at power stations based on OCR turbines or ORC turbines – “Organic Rankine cycle”, or at steam turbine mini-CHP plants, as well as producing synthetic liquid fuel fractions and torrefaction of carbon feedstock.

The plasma gasification (reactor) branded “UPG-Neutron” is a tested advanced technology for the disposal of sorted waste and is the most environmentally safe method.

The “UPG-Neutron” plasma gasification installation allows processing MSW, MSW waste of any hazard class, and generating electricity from their processing. It helps reduce waste disposal costs by five times.

The “UPG-Neutron” plasma gasification installation is an innovative product and has no analogs in the MSW, MSW waste disposal market in terms of efficiency!

“UPG-Neutron” is applicable for processing municipal solid waste:

• Plant waste
• Biological waste
• Synthetic waste (polymers, plastics)
• Petrochemical waste
• Low-grade types of mineral fuel.

Technical specifications of the “UPG-Neutron” reactor:

• Waste processing capacity – from 25 to 150 tons per day.
• Minimum load mode – 15%, maximum (peak) – 120%.
• Synthesis gas output (from wood or mono-wastes) – from 25 to 150 m³/day.
• Heat output – from 2 to 32 Gcal/hour (optional).
• Electricity output at unit power – from 1 MW to 10 MW/hour (optional) at “GTUS-Neutron-ORC” power stations based on OCR turbine or ORC turbines – Rankine “Organic Rankine cycle” or at steam turbine power stations.
• Synthetic fuel fractions output – from 25 tons/day (option, under development).
• Carbon output (torrefaction of high-carbon waste by heated synthesis gas) – up to 5-10 tons/day with an additional increase in synthesis gas yield by 20-30%. (option, under development).
• Temperature in the plasma discharge zone of the reactor – 8000 °C.
• Synthesis gas temperature at the reactor outlet – 100 -1200 °C
• Reactor lifespan – 30 years.
• Warranty period from the manufacturer – 24 months from the commissioning date.
• Reboot time for “UPG-Neutron” – 1 hour.
• Climate resistance: minus 50°C – plus 50°C.

Schematic of “UPG-Neutron” with one type of loading device:

Schematic of “UPG-Neutron” with combined loading devices

1. Gasifier reactor
2. Loading sluice chamber
3. Recirculation cyclone
4. Gasifier inductor
5. Afterburner chamber
6. Gas removal cyclone
7. Recirculation fan
8. Gas removal fan
9. Loading auger
10. Ash removal auger
11. Scraper conveyor
12. Sluice gates: upper, lower

Operating principle:

In the “UPG-Neutron” reactor, there are no costly consumables – plasmatron electrodes. The operating principle of the plasma gasifier (Reactor) is based on the high-temperature destruction of organic raw materials with the subsequent formation of combustible gas. The high-temperature regime in the gasifier is created by the turbulent flow of ionized gas. Recirculation is forced by a fan installed in the gasifier’s gas paths system. The fan motor is powered by an external energy source. Initially, flue gases resulting from the combustion of wood fuel in the gasifier to create a catalyst participate in the recirculation. The catalyst in the form of wood ash promotes the formation of high-calorie gas in the gasifier. The turbulent flow is created by the recirculation system through the gas paths, ionizing the gas molecules due to friction against the gasifier walls, insulated from the ground. When oppositely charged gas molecules collide in the recirculation stream, a spark discharge occurs with a temperature in the spark of no less than 3000°C, leading to a sharp increase in temperature. Moisture from the fuel or separately fed into the gasifier in the form of steam breaks down in the spark discharge into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen participates in the formation of hydrocarbon gas, some of which burns, raising the gasification temperature.

After reaching the set parameters of the created plasma, wastes are fed into the gasifier: solids – fraction no more than 100 mm and humidity up to 80%, – via a conveyor through the sluice chamber from above, liquids – in the form of a water-oil emulsion through an injector into the pressurized gas path of the recirculation system.

The gas formed in the gasifier is cleaned of ash through a cyclone, cooled through a cooling block, and supplied to the generator (power station, mini-CHP). Part of the electricity generated by the generator is used to further power the gasifier, while the external power source is disconnected. The remaining energy is transferred to an external consumer.

As a result of the described processes, wastes are completely burned at temperatures up to 10,000°C. Ecologically safe, chemically inert slags are formed at the outlet of the gasifier. The performance of the gasifier (reactor) is regulated by the flow rate of the recirculation by a frequency regulator of the motor.

Mobile power block based on the “UPG-Neutron” plasma reactor with a power station based on an OCR turbine or ORC turbines – Rankine “Organic Rankine cycle”.

Table 3. General technical specifications of the “NEUTRON-GTUS” power unit.

Work Stages:

1. Development and approval of the Technical Specification.
2. Development of Working Documentation.
3. Manufacture of the “UPG-Neutron” brand reactor with a power station as specified in the appendix to the TS.
4. Major assembly/disassembly and delivery of Equipment to the Client’s site.
5. Installation, commissioning, and initiation of trial operation.
6. Before handing over for operation, the Contractor conducts training for the Client’s operational staff.
7. During the commissioning period, a separate document establishes the regulations for interaction between parties, the volume and composition of the waste processed, and the procedure for acceptance into operation, including the order of testing and performance acceptance.
8. The Contractor provides authorial supervision during the warranty period of the equipment. After the warranty period, the Equipment can be taken under the Contractor’s subscription service.

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