Plasma and Renewable Energy Center
(PREC)José L. Colón
Nilangely ArzonPierre Schmidt
School of Engineering
Universidad del Turabo
OUR PROBLEM Municipal Solid Waste
Municipal Solid WasteP.R. generates over 11,000 tons/day Most of the disposal places already closedThe ones in operation are quickly becoming full, and most of them in violation of environmental regulationsNo land available for new fillsCosts increasing
Our mayor problem: Contamination of our water wells
Ideal Waste Disposal SystemThat can process mixed solid and liquid waste Non polluting and environmentally safe Not requiring previous treatment or preparation That can recuperate all useful material or energy
contents Final residue that could also be useful Able to process toxic and hazardous materials,
medical wastes, plastics, tires, etc No land fill required
Recycle, Re-use, Recovery (RRR)
Plasma TechnologyPlasma: A gas in a conductive stateVery high temperatures can be produced and controlled with the electric power appliedLightning is a natural example and Electric arc
welding is a produced caseDoes not need air to operate Can operate with any gasAvailable with Power levels from 100kw to 10
mw Temperatures from 4,000°C to 7,000°C
Process(Data for one ton of MSW)
Plasma Technology: Ideal for Municipal Waste
DisposalOrganic components: gasified into H2/CO fuel gasVitrified sediment is re-usable for a variety of applicationsHazardous and toxic components broken into basic elements Heavy metals, etc. are immobilized in a glass rock
Municipal Waste: Ideal
for Plasma Torch Technology
Organic components: Will provide enough fuel to generate the needed electricity for the process plus a significant extra amount that can be used for other useful purposes
Tests Done at Georgia TechHeavy metalsLow radioactive wasteIndustrial wasteSolid municipal wasteOven dustOrganic solid and liquid waste
PCB’sAsbestos ashesChemical wastesBio-medical wastesPlasticsUsed tires
Tiles Fabricated With Vitreous Residue Proved to Be Superior to the Ones With
Recycled Glass
Systems in OperationFrance: process asbestos ashesMadison, PA: toxic waste destructionJapan: process junk autosJonquiere, Canada: aluminum recoveryJackson, GA: will process used tires
Universidad del TuraboActivities
Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO): (proposal) Prototype unit to process municipal solid wastes
Agreement with SOLENA groupIntegrated Plasma Gasification Combined Cycle (IPGCC)
Plasma and Renewable Energy Center (PREC)
Plasma Gasification and Vitrification Reactor Design and build a compact SOLENA gasified system
Demonstrate the efficacy of the IPGCC process Test the characteristics of gasifying various types of feeds Training professional and technical personnel Conduct research and development Doctoral Dissertations in Environmental Sciences (SST)
Test an Uninterruptible Power Supply system fed by the installed Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels
Planned installation of a Fuel Cell demonstration unit
QUESTIONS ?