Municipal waste incineration modelling

Project goal

Goal of the project was to conduct a status report on solid waste incineration modelling in material flow and life cycle analyses. Project leader was GreenDeltaTC.

Project description

The study investigates demand and supply of information from municipal solid waste incineration plants (MSWI plants). Matching the demand side for incineration plant information with, on the other side, present waste flow classification systems, technical details of todays' incineration plants, and, in addition, current MSWI plant models, several demand gaps come into sight. The matching allows, moreover, for several clear conclusions and recommendations.

Results

Following results could be ascertain:

First, a system of quality assurance and validation needs to be developed and put in place for MSWI plant models. Validation is at present barely applied, albeit without validation, quality of model data remains questionable.

Second, an ideal model will be a coordinated one; it will be modular, user friendly, and broadly available. Coordination needs to address methodical question of modelling, including energy model-ling and the handling of co-products from the plant. Modular models are more flexible, more trans-parent, and allow adapting to different conditions more easily than linear transfer coefficient models.

Further, a maintenance concept needs to be implemented for MSWI models in order to ensure up-to-date models. Finally, MSWI models for non-European regions are needed, and not the least, MSWI models should be extended to be able to address life cycle costs and social effects.

Time period

2006-2007

Commissioner/Cooperation partner

Cooperation partners for this project were TU Berlin, University Kassel and Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe.

Resources

Published report (pdf, German language only): Stand der Darstellung von Abfallverbrennung in Stoffstromanalysen