The family waste is sorted in a perforated drum to size and then passes on large conveyor belts so-called magnetic seperators. They eliminate ferrous scrap. A second ferrous metallic residue as well as an automatic non-ferrous residue occur after combustion. They have been processed previously in external sorting, so they can be used right to the domestic and bulky waste. The various waste streams are mixed completely, since this homogenization ensures a top quality, a uniform as potential burnout and a good quality ash.
In a small group, we were led by the spokesman of the AVG through the respective segments of the garbage incineration plant and the procedures were explained in detail. Initially skeptical, since in prior years there was so much negative about this facility (excessive construction costs, lack of capacity), the disposition among the participants transformed slowly into fascination.
To clarify: It’s just about waste.
Truth and cleanliness
What I noticed during the tour: In the plant, each measure is carefully considered, it is worked with great precision. And even if that sounds paradoxical: it is squeaky clean! Just in the hallway where distinct wastes are mixed on conveyor belts, there is the typical smell of crap, but not as bad as originally expected.
Amazing for me: I didn’t understand that by using residual waste a very great deal of electricity is created. And reassuring for me: resources are won from the last fall: metal, material for road building, plaster at good quality. The proportion of what’s factually left and really not recycled, seems negligible to non.
From waste to electricity — the process in detail
The residual waste incinerator from Cologne was put to operation in 1998 and is among the most modern and best facilities in the world. It processes what’s landed from the residual waste after the individual collection of private households, as well as the remains of sorting from combined industrial and building waste.
a lot of the waste is sent by rail. The railway containers are loaded in two waste transfer stations in the city of Cologne and collectively have a capacity of about 250,000 tons each year. The remaining waste is attracted by truck.
The hot exhaust gas is used for electricity generation. This drives the downstream generator with which is produced electric power. For own use just a small region of the energy is needed. The increased part is provided in external electricity distribution networks. The amount of energy created in the incinerator is enough to power over 100,000 households.
In the combustion and the subsequent exhaust gas purification residual substances like dust and salts remain as well as ashes from the boiler. Gypsum is also a waste material, which can be obtained as a reaction product from the exhaust gas purification and contains construction material quality.
Emission control: the exhaust gases are almost completely neutralized from the procedure used in the Cologne incinerator. There is no waste water, as well as the legal requirements are obviously undercut.
Rethinking at waste management companies
Following the trip, I had the opportunity to talk to the media officer of AVG. In this dialog it became clear just how much the thinking has shifted within the sphere of waste management in recent decades and years. While during the 1960s to the 1990s garbage was piled up entirely unsorted in landfills and then abandoned, at the new millennium they’ve understood the value of the waste. Climate change and CO2 emissions have pushed as significant issues in focus for its residual waste processing. The heat generated during combustion is converted to electricity. Resources are recovered, as much as is technically possible. Especially metal, wood and plastics. The recovered plastic from residual waste is used for example as fuel for cement plants.
Waste incineration plant are now equatable to electricity plants, even when fuel value isn’t quite equivalent to the conventional fuels like coal, gas and oil. As an increasing number of municipalities have started to generate their own electricity by means of residual waste incineration, the significant electricity suppliers get in significant issues.
In the conclusion of the tour I was very impressed. That what’s put from the waste in private households plus the industrial waste is, after all, still god to supply 100,000 households with electricity in Cologne.
And in the same time it’s scary, what incredible tonnes of waste we produce. Blue and orange ton come in addition to that.
Client society offers garbage
Waste incineration plants producing electricity for us and making us less reliant on fossil fuels, would be the logical result of our society. However, incinerators are not built primarily to generate electricity. However, to become master of the hills of waste we create continuously as a society. Luckily, with modern incinerators, a method was shown to constitute the stinking issue a fresh thing. However, the cause, our ingestion, is the actual issue.
For the operators of the incineration plant, it is essential that enough waste is delivered. Garbage is their product. The more they could get, the better to your machine’s capacity. For then it will work cost-effectively, which then has a positive impact on the urban garbage fees. Since waste is inserted from adjoining areas.
However, the customer society provides those masses of garbage. Goods are produced in massive amounts, bought, used or consumed and eventually discarded. The 2aste incineration plant gets food — in 2013 there were 707,000 heaps in Cologne. Truly an ideal cycle, so one might believe. If not for this”but” would be. Because our conventional consumption goes at the cost of other countries, to the detriment of the environment, acceptable working conditions; Resources are wasted, the transport around the globe has impact upon the climate, production facilities in the Far East toxin the local surroundings and so forth.
WellI reside in Cologne, a big town, where certainly just a small proportion of residents believe about crap, disposal or perhaps waste reduction and practice this. Which may be a negative point of view, but I think it is realistic. The average normal citizen does not necessarily ask the question what’s really happening to that which he throws off in the span of a year. My next wish is to pay a visit to a recycling plant for plastics.
Waste incineration and waste seperation versus waste prevention
Waste separation was yesterday. The most recent approach is waste prevention. In its most distinct version it is called Zero Waste. No waste. So far there are just a few leaders, whose reports and videos I read and watch with interest. And in precisely the same time I wonder just how to implement this at a typical big-city life. It begins with the fact that — even if you use a togo box, that can be compostable, then you do not understand where to dispose of it along the way. So take it home and put it in the compost bin? Would everybody do that?
I think it’s good if it is possible, to be aware of the situation (massive quantities of waste) via a well organized disposal system and outside actually to convert this residual waste to a large extent to energy, ie heating and electricity. There is no less than a massive improvement as contrary to the stinking landfill from earlier, in which everything was thrown into a heap and then covered with the cloak of silence. The next step should be, to reduce the total amount of waste in total. And this will not be possible only from the civic society. Here politics and economy are requested to create the ideal framework and to set the operational execution in motion.
by: http://blog.upcycling-markt.de/en/blog/muellverbrennungsanlange-waste-incineration-plant.html
Lately a dream came true for me. This might appear strange. Sometimes I catch myself when I get stuck on documentary programs about recycling methods from the (rare) zapping through the TV channels. Clearly this subject fascinates me. Since I’m also quite interested in the subject Generation Y, I could kill two birds with one stone.
By the massive hallway of the conveyor belts the waste passes the so-called residual waste bunker. Here it is stored some time until enough moisture has dissipated, so it can burn well. By means of permanent humidity and temperature indicators it is controlled, in what condition the waste is. The waste moves on roller cubes throughout the boiler. And there it burns. The various”brand new” waste ignites from the burning garbage. So no additional external energy is necessary for the combustion process. The combustion takes place after the DC principle: The burning of waste and the waste gases proceed in precisely the same direction throughout the”hot flame” in the end of the grate. This process ensures that the destruction of pollutants like dioxins and furans are already performed from the combustion chamber.
From squander is made electricity for 250,000 individuals
And this is the highlight. The heat produced during combustion is used. On the one hand, to heat the local Ford plant. However, this is just a nice side effect. Nearly all the heat is converted to electricity by generators. And even that the power consumption of 250,000 individuals can be fulfilled. The waste incineration plant Cologne is thus basically a power plant also provides a quarter of the town of Cologne with electricity. That sounds amazing. And as you might find the notion it is not so bad when so much garbage is produced — because it is used so well…
After combustion bottom ash, hot gas and residues remain. These chemicals are mainly used again helpful: The ash is cooled with water and kept in an ash vine until it is processed at a bottom ash treatment plant and then utilized in road, landfill and landscaping.
I think it’s great if it is possible, to be master of the situation (immense amounts of waste) through a well organized disposal system and beyond even to convert this residual waste to a large extent into energy, ie electricity and heating. There is at least a huge improvement as against the stinking landfill from earlier, in which everything was thrown into a pile and then covered with the cloak of silence. The next step must be, to reduce the amount of waste in total. And this will not be possible just by the civil society. Here politics and economy are asked to create the right framework and to set the practical implementation in motion.
by: http://blog.upcycling-markt.de/en/blog/muellverbrennungsanlange-waste-incineration-plant.html
