Energy recovery potential from Brazilian municipal solid waste via combustion process based on its thermochemical characterization.

This paper presents the direct combustion with energy recovery as a treatment method to wet waste (waste mixed and contaminated with organic fractions) generated from the selective collection in Brazil, based on its thermochemical characterization, searching for a final destination different from dumps, and decreasing the waste amount sent to landfills in the country. The energy recovery potential was calculated from the physical, chemical, and thermal characterization of products found in the waste stream grouped into five combustible categories (Organic matter, Sanitary waste, Paper/cardboard/Tetra Pak®, Plastics, and Textiles). The thermochemical characterization, the waste's behavior as a feedstock for energy power plants, the energy recovery potential, and GHG emissions avoided from three scenarios of electric power efficiency (18, 25, and 30%) were studied. The results show that the combustion with energy recovery could be used as a treatment method because of the Brazilian MSW characteristics as a solid fuel, such as a lower heating value of 7.22±1.76 MJ.kg−1, moisture content of 49.19±10.05%, and an ash content of 14.23±6.71%; highlighting that in some regions of the country, there is the possibility of using auxiliary fuels for waste combustion. In this way, MSW combustion facilities could contribute an additional 3% of electrical energy to the national energy matrix from the use of at least 67% of the MSW collected. Furthermore, annual emissions of about 1 million tonnes of CH 4 (24 million tonnes of CO 2 -eq) and around 140 million cubic meters of dumps could be avoided, dependent on the gross electrical efficiency used in Waste-to-Energy technology. • Direct combustion with energy recovery is proposed as MSW treatment method in Brazil. • The energy recovery potential and avoided GHG emissions were estimated. • Thermochemical characterization of wet MSW for energy recovery was performed. • The behavior of wet waste as a feedstock for energy power plants was studied. • Energy recovery from wet waste could add 3% to the Brazilian electricity matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]