Materials performance in waste to energy plants

AbstractAbstractThe concept of phasing out of landfills has made mass burning of refuse an attractive alternative. Even more popular is the advent of the "garbage in, energy out" philosophy. This has led to the development of boilers that convert the heat generated from burning refuse into revenue-producing process steam and electricity. Because refuse is non homogeneous in nature, the furnace zone must accommodate the combustion of a particularly aggressive and complex fuel. It must be designed to withstand the potential damaging effects of corrosion and erosion caused by the ash and flue gas generated as well as the methods used to remove the ash once it has deposited on the tube surfaces. The early mass-burning units, built with carbon and low-alloy steel waterwalls and convective passes, have experienced substantial wastage rates from corrosion and erosion. Parameters affecting the operation of the unit can be changed to minimize tube wastage, but at the expense of boiler efficiency. Upgrading the materials to more corrosion-resistant alloys, however, should not affect efficiency and should prove to be an economical solution to the problem.Keywords: waste to energy plantrefusecorrosionerosion