Refuse Derived Fuels

Refuse derived fuel (RDF) is solid recovered fuel, which is the product of a mixed waste processing system in which certain recyclable and non-combustible materials are removed with the remaining combustible material converted for use as a fuel to create energy . Any municipal solid waste such as household waste, commercial solid waste, nonhazardous sludge, conditionally exempt, small quantity hazardous waste and industrial solid waste can be converted into a RDF.

RDF is a result of sorting and/or drying MSW (Municipal Solid Waste), using mechanical heat treatment, mechanical biological treatment or waste autoclaves. One of the less expensive and well-established technologies to produce RDF from MSW is mechanical biological pre-treatment (MBT).  An MBT plant separates out metals and inert materials, screens out organic fractions (for stabilization using composting processes, either with or without a digestion phase), and separates out high-calorific fractions for RDF. RDF can also result from a dry stabilization process in which residual waste (after separating out metals and inert materials) is dried through a composting process leaving the residual mass with a higher calorific value. RDF may be produced loose, suitable for feeding directly into boilers or as pellets. Pelleted RDF is easier to handle and transport.  The sorted product can either be used directly for combustion purpose or subjected to anaerobic digestion to produce gaseous fuel (biogas). Another process is to gasify the solid recovered fuel to obtain syngas which is subsequently converted to green diesel / syn fuel by the process of Fischer Tropsch synthesis. 

Business Opportunities from the Value Chain

Opportunities in manufacturing sector

Trommel

Chain belt conveyors

Shredder(Screw& amp; Hammer)

Hydraulic power pack

Air density seperator

Pulveriser

Rotary dryer

Balers

Examples of Equipments that can be used in RDF Production
  • Production plant usually involves either single RDF production plants or facilities integrating compost production and/or electricity generation. Hence there arises a wide range of needs for plant equipments such as Trommel, Shredder  etc.,
  • Recycling Revenue
  • Renewable energy Incentives
  • Energy Generated from Waste-The gasification of refuse derived fuel (RDF) could be         an attractive option for meeting the goal of aggressive growth of biopower production.

Service opportunities

  • Design or installation, Operations and Maintenance of plants
  • Logistic and Transport Service
  • Market consultation exercise to consider the readiness of the market place and to inform its procurement options.

Global Scenario and Market Segment

Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production and use is a very helpful tool in an integrated waste management plan and can similarly work as a strategic component for the reduction of CO2 emissions and increase the renewable energies share.RDF production from MSW is most active in European Member States with high levels of MSW source separation and recycling (i.e. Austria, Germany, Netherlands are the best examples), as the recycling activity generates high calorific residues suitable as RDF. The total quantities of RDF produced from MSW in the European Union have been estimated to amount to over 3 million tons.

In Netherland alone there are 13 production plants producing RDF from MSW and from mechanical recovery of plastics and paper fractions with Dutch waste company VAM being the major player contributing a total input capacity of wastes at 700,000 tons per annum. The production of fuel from municipal waste for co-combustion in dedicated or adapted power plants is rare in the UK while co-incineration of high calorific value industrial or difficult wastes as secondary fuels is more common. In the UK the term refuse derived fuel (RDF) is generally reserved for the processed paper, card, wood and plastic fractions of municipal, commercial or industrial wastes.

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