Alter Nrg and Westinghouse Plasma Corp.
The Plasma Gasification Process
Calgary & Region Waste Reduction Partnership
Feb. 13, 2008
About Alter Nrg
Alter Nrg is a Canadian-based company providing clean efficient alternative energy solutions through gasification. Alter Nrg owns the world-leading plasma gasification technology. Alter Nrg can provide project developers with a fabricated plasma gasification system or we can limit our involvement to the design of the plasma gasifier and the delivery of the plasma torch systems. The Basics of a Waste-to-Energy Project
Westinghouse Plasma Corporation
Alter Nrg purchased Westinghouse Plasma Corporation (WPC) in April 2007
WPC STRENGTHS Commercially proven facilities (three in Japan, one in Canada and one in US) WPC plasma technology developed with an estimated $100 million in R&D funding Over 30 years experience in the design and application of plasma technology WPC has completed more than 100 pilot tests on a multitude of feedstocks
WPC Plasma Cupola
Plasma Gasification
Plasma gasification converts low-value feedstocks into high-value energy products.
What is Plasma?
PLASMA Plasma, often referred to as the fourth state of matter, is the term given to a gas that has become ionized. An ionized gas is one where the atoms of the gas have lost one or more electrons and has become electrically charged. The sun and lightning are examples of plasma in nature. THE WPC PLASMA PROCESS By controlling gas through the plasma torch and with the aid of a magnetic field, energy from the electric arc is transferred to the process gas The superheated gas then exits the plasma torch up at temperatures up to 10,000oC.
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WPC Development Experience
Westinghouse developed plasma over 30 years
Started with high temperature research
NASA and gas turbine blade coatings
Expanded to metal melting in 1980s Tested for waste processing in 1990s Proven in waste processing in 2000
Available today to address our worlds growing waste storage & energy needs
WPC Plasma Torch Systems
WPC PLASMA TORCHES
Self-stabilized arc system Non-transferred arc Flexible process heater - used for heating process gas to high temperatures, 1,500oC - 10,000oC Can operate on most gases - Air, pure Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon-monoxide, Hydrogen, etc. Projects using WPC Plasma Nominal Power 300 kW 3,000 kW Torches Industrially-rugged design WTE facilities in Japan Proven in tough commercial environment
GM Foundry in Defiance, Ohio Alcan Aluminum Facility in Quebec Two hazardous waste facilities in India (2008) 7
Alter Nrg Plasma Gasifier
The Proprietary Alter Nrg Plasma Gasifier (PG) design is based on the Iron-Melting Cupola Furnace
Proven in harsh operating environments Refractory lined steel vessel
Lower section is water cooled
WPC PLASMA REACTOR
Able to generate high operating temperature, reducing gas velocities Ash produced as vitreous nonleaching slag
Typical reactor capacities vary by feedstock:
MSW Biomass 500-750 tpd 500-750 tpd
Alter Nrg Plasma Gasification System
Plasma Gasification System
Typical Alter Nrg WTE Facility
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Advantages of the APG
TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES Minimal feedstock preparation
Very little shredding or crushing Very little segregation or sorting
Handles a wide range of feed compositions
High moisture content High Inert content Low calorific value feed High calorific value feed like Auto-Shredder dust
WPC Plasma Torch in Cupola
High reliability
Operates in rugged industrial applications
Scalability
Allows for modular development
High Thermal Efficiency
Almost all carbon in MSW is converted into gas for energy recovery Slag does not contain carbon
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Advantages of APG
TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES Direct Melting Reactor
Pyrolysis/Melting in one reactor Metals/Slag discharged at the bottom Pyrolysis of feed into combustible off-gas Hitachi WTE Facility
Utashinai Plasma Gasification Reactor (PGR) pictured below
ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES Low capital and operating costs
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES Environmentally benign slag
Particulate matter can be recycled back or injected into slag
Virtually no reforming of combustion byproducts
Photo courtesy of Hitachi
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Plasma Gasification: Part of the Waste Diversion Solution
Plasma gasification is a potential solution to municipal waste problems facing populated centres. Before waste is gasified recycling or waste diversion is always the initial step in waste management. Plasma gasification compliments a well-developed waste diversion program by converting the remaining waste into useable energy and also capturing renewable resources such as:
water ferrous and non-ferrous metal sulphur.
Communities with WTE facilities are likely to have higher recycling rates than the national average. Far from competing with recycling, WTE is part of an integrated approach to solid waste management that includes recycling as a core component. The average recycling rate for WTE communities across the US is 33%, while the national average is 28%. - Integrated Waste Services Association
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Emissions
Low emissions:
Emissions, g/tonne of waste processed
Less than 0.01 NG/NM3 of Dioxins/Furans Sulfur reports as Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
Easier to clean than Sox
Comparison on Waste-to-Energy Criteria Pollutants
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 31.05 9 68 53 17.1 6.3 5.3 94.6 Gasification Incineration Landfill 192.06
Tars are cracked prior to leaving APG
NOx
SO2
PM
One technology which potentially can use various types of waste, produce electricity and hydrogen
without emitting dioxin, furan and mercury, is plasma arc technology. Municipalities can install a plasma arc facility which will eliminate land filling - EPA
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Carbon Dioxide Emissions
A plasma gasification WTE facility avoids:
1. The release of methane that otherwise would be emitted when trash decomposes in landfills The displacement of CO2 that would have been emitted had the electricity been generated from fossil fuels such as coal.
Net climate change emissions are negative compared to other waste management options
2.
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WPC WTE in Japan - Utashinai
Hitachi Metals Ltd. chose the WPC technology for two commercial-scale Waste-to-Energy facilities in Japan. The largest facility is names Eco-Valley and is located in Utashinai, Hokkaido. It was constructed in 2002 and has been fully operational since 2003.
The Eco-Valley facility can process up to 280 tpd of MSW and auto shredder residue. On its two acre site, the facility can deliver 1.5 MW of net electricity output to the grid.
Eco-Valley WTE Facility
WPC PLASMA TORCHES
8 Marc-3a plasma systems Torches are rated for 300 KW each 2 Operating gasification islands with 4 torches each
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WPC WTE in Japan Mihama-Mikata
Hitachi Metals 2nd project with WPC
Serves the 2 cities of Mihama & Mikata, Japan Plasma gasification of 24 tpd of MSW and 4 tpd of waste water sludge Commissioned in 2002
Hitachi Metals Mihama-Mikata WTE Facility
2 Marc-3a plasma systems
Syngas is burned after the APG, cooled & cleaned
Heat is provided to waste water treatment facility
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Key Technical Staff
Shyam V. Dighe, Ph.D., M.S., MBA - President & Chief Technology Officer, WPC
32 years experience in chemical and high-temperature plasma engineering research Program Manager in development of plasma-fired cupola for melting foundry scrap and processing excavated landfill materials Experience in toxic and hazardous waste treatment and conventional coal gasification 12 patents and has published research in plasma gasification
Rick Bower, P.Eng. VP Engineering, Alter Nrg
Founder of engineering consulting firm, Bower Damberger Rolseth (BDR) Engineering More than 30 years engineering experience in the energy industry focused on the design of plants and facilities Industry leader in application of modular engineering methodologies
Pieter van Nierop, D.Sc., MBA Senior Gasification Lead, Alter Nrg
15 years experience with Sasol - world leader in gasification technology, based in South Africa Managing Director responsible for the Sasol-Lurgi Technology Company Lead gasification roles with Alberta Research Council, Bantrel and Shell Canada
Alex Gorodetsky, P.Eng., MBA Staff Gasification Engineer, Alter Nrg
Monetization of coal reserves via gasification technology Evaluation and piloting of entrained flow low rank coal gasification and development of feed conditioning process for slurry fed gasification (Luscar) Experienced in developing and commercializing high temperature plasma based coatings processes (Westaim)
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Suite 700, 910 7th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 3N8 Phone 403.806.3875 Fax 403.806.3701 www.alternrg.ca
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