1. Plasma and Renewable Energy Center (PREC)
José L. Colón
Nilangely Arzon
Pierre Schmidt
School of Engineering
Universidad del Turabo

2. OUR PROBLEM Municipal Solid Waste

3. Contamination of our water wells
Municipal Solid Waste
P.R. generates over 11,000 tons/day
Most of the disposal places already closed
The ones in operation are quickly becoming full, and most of them in violation of environmental regulations
No land available for new fills
Costs increasing
Our mayor problem:
Contamination of our water wells

4. Ideal Waste Disposal System
That 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)

5. Plasma Technology Plasma: A gas in a conductive state
Very high temperatures can be produced and controlled with the electric power applied
Lightning is a natural example and Electric arc welding is a produced case
Does not need air to operate
Can operate with any gas
Available with Power levels from 100kw to 10 mw Temperatures from 4,000°C to 7,000°C

6. Process (Data for one ton of MSW)

7. Plasma Technology: Ideal for Municipal Waste Disposal
Organic components: gasified into H2/CO fuel gas
Vitrified sediment is re-usable for a variety of applications
Hazardous and toxic components broken into basic elements
Heavy metals, etc. are immobilized in a glass rock P

8. 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 P

10. Tests Done at Georgia Tech
PCB’s
Asbestos ashes
Chemical wastes
Bio-medical wastes
Plastics
Used tires
Heavy metals
Low radioactive waste
Industrial waste
Solid municipal waste
Oven dust
Organic solid and liquid waste

11. Tiles Fabricated With Vitreous Residue Proved to Be Superior to the Ones With Recycled Glass

12. Systems in Operation France: process asbestos ashes
Madison, PA: toxic waste destruction
Japan: process junk autos
Jonquiere, Canada: aluminum recovery
Jackson, GA: will process used tires

13. Universidad del Turabo Activities
Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO): (proposal) Prototype unit to process municipal solid wastes
Agreement with SOLENA group
Integrated Plasma Gasification Combined Cycle (IPGCC)

14. 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

16. QUESTIONS ?