Comparison between product yields in the pyrolysis and combustion of different refuse

Pyrolysis and combustion experiments of different refuse constituents were performed in a laboratory scale reactor. Different behaviours of thermal degradations, their relationship with the type of products generated as well as the magnitude of their emissions were studied and compared. The wastes selected in this work have been: PE, EVA, PET, cellulose, kraft lignin, almond shells and MSW. In each run, around 50 mg of the refuse were placed in a sample holder which was slowly moved into a furnace preheated at 850 degreesC. More than 100 compounds, considering carbon oxides, light hydrocarbons and PAHs, have been identified and quantified. Different burning behaviours could be distinguished between plastics and lignocellulosic materials. The amount of volatiles emitted by plastics is higher than that generated by lignocellulosic degradation. The major light hydrocarbons obtained, common to all the refuse decompositions are methane, ethylene, benzene, toluene, acetylene and, in some cases, 1,3-butadiene. In the case of the semivolatile compounds, styrene, indene, naphthalene, methylnaphthalene and acenaphthylene reach the major yields. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.