What is a Plasma Assisted Gasifier (PAG)?
PAG is a technology that effectively transforms solid wastes including municipal solid waste, feedstock, agricultural waste, chipped tires, non-recyclable plastics, de-watered sludge etc into electrical or thermal energy.
How does it work?
The PAG uses a high temperature plasma-arc system in a graphite furnace. A plasma arc generates intense heat as it travels between two electrodes, causing waste to be gasified into (CO and H2) a hydrocarbon rich fuel gas which is used to power an internal combustion generator to produce electricity.
Stages in the gasification process
Waste is fed into a conveyor which carries it to a crusher to be screw augured and then sent into a dryer to reduce the moisture content to 20% using exhaust heat recovered from the engine.
The dried material is then sent into the Plasma Gasifier Reactor where it is gasified into rich fuel gas. Cleaned by a mechanical cleaner which removes any un-reacted solids and redirects them into the reactor vessels for re-gasification, the gas is cooled.
The clean cooled gas is then further cooled and conveyed to the engine generator for power generation. Here, a gas heat exchanger chills the gas and sucks its moisture content. The gas is used to power an internal combustion generator which produces electricity.
Benefits of PAG
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PAG is an environment friendly and cost-effective means of converting non-recyclable waste into energy.
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It can be configured to handle a wide variety of waste materials from plastics to agricultural waste.
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PAGs can operate from mobile platforms near stockpiles to reduce waste transport hazards and costs.
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More efficient than conventional methods due to its 90% conversion efficiency, low operating and maintenance costs, PAG produces no toxic gases or hazardous ash. It does not require expensive cooling systems or high pressure for gasification.
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Although it is a closed-loop system that is self-powered, the electricity produced can be directed to facilities and even sold locally to power grids.
