Mechanical Biological Waste Treatment and Bio-filtration
Mechanical biological treatment (MBT), when applied to municipal solid waste (MSW) reduces landfill requirements, increases the rate of recycling (after curbside and source separation) and substantially reduces the environmental impact for discarded residuals. It also provides, as a final product, a high quality high calorific value alternative fuel (Solid Recovered Fuel or SRF) that can be used by large energy users in substitution of fossil fuel for co processing (cement plants, steel mills) or for the production of renewable energy (feed to gasification or biomass boiler in CHP units).
Chemtex has teamed with Entsorga, a leading provider of MBT Technology in Europe. Several plants based on this technology are already operating in Europe and the Entsorga’s HEBIOT® system is recognized as market leader in terms of diversion rate, low operating cost, low capex and quality of the Solid Recycle Fuel produced.
HEBIOT® technology takes the traditional Mechanical Biological Treatment process one step further using key benefits offered by a range of existing technologies with the addition of a number of unique innovations that improve treatment, recycling and recovery of materials providing significant advantages to Local Authorities and Waste Contractors in terms of environmental impact, efficiency and affordability.
These results are achieved through the integrated management of airflows and waste preheating.
The Entsorga’s system has the following advantages:
· Reduced labor costs
· Reduced energy use and costs
· Quick return on investment
· Reduced environmental impact in comparison to other biological treatment systems
· Improved working conditions
· Plant flexibility
· High quality alternative fuel (SRF) as final product
The entire process is carried out inside a building which is maintained under negative air pressure to avoid the release of odor to the environment. Process air from the building is treated prior to release to the atmosphere.
Bio-filtration is a proven and reliable technology for odor control in a wide range of industrial activity and in particular for composting and waste treatment plant. Entsorga’s biofilters are natural, adaptable, effective and cost-effective.
Bio-filtration is a biologic process that reduces the odors present in gaseous currents through microbe heterogeneous population, using bacterium, mildews and yeasts that work as a natural removing agent. These microorganisms digest most of the organic and inorganic compounds through a large series of reactions that transform the compounds into odorless products. The microbe colony necessary for the bio-filtration acts well on the surface of a proper natural support, through which the air to be treated is blown. The support, which is the 'bed' of the bio-filter may be formed by mould, peat, woody pieces, green compost, cortices or by a mixture of these and other materials, including plastics.
The gaseous substance is absorbed by the filtering material and degraded by the microbe flora, which uses it as nourishment together with part of the filtering material itself. The biologic activity requires the oxygen that is provided by the same gaseous current entering the bio-filter. The material surface emits carbon dioxide (CO2), water, inorganic compounds and biomass. At the mouth of the bio-filter there will be very small quantities of the incoming pollutants.